Gero-Holt, Pelkmans Win B1G Titles on Second Day of Big Ten Championships

Saturday, May 16

Lincoln, Neb. (Nebraska Outdoor Track)

9:30 AM (C) // 12 PM (F) // 3:15 PM (T) CT

University of Illinois

Big Ten Outdoor Championships

Gero-Holt, Pelkmans Win B1G Titles on Second Day of Big Ten Championships

May 16, 2026 | Women's Track & Field, Men's Track & Field

RECAP

Full Results
LINCOLN, Neb. – The Fighting Illini men's and women's track and field teams completed the second day of the Big Ten Outdoor Championships on Saturday (May 16) from the Nebraska Outdoor Track. JaiCieonna Gero-Holt and Luuk Pelkmans each left the field today with a gold medal.

Gero-Holt scored a school record point total of 5,994 points in the heptathlon to win the program's third Big Ten heptathlon title. She ends a 32-year-drought of an Illini topping the heptathlon podium when Carmel Corbett last won it in 1994. Corbett and Gero-Holt are the only two heptathlon champions in the program's history as Corbett also won in 1992 as a freshman. Her 5,994 points is the No. 2 score in the nation heading into the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

Pelkmans earned B1G gold in the decathlon with the program's second-highest score of 8,004 points. Today he won the 1500m (4:21.58) and placed second in both the pole vault [4.60m (15-1)] and javelin [55.48m (182-0)] en route to his title. He's the first freshman in program history to win the title and only the second Illini man to top the podium after his teammate Rafael Raap did so last year.

All three high jumpers stood on the podium together after competition today led by Rose Yeboah with silver on a height of 1.86m (6-1 1/4). Two freshmen made an impact in their Big Ten Championships debut as Siun Quinn earned bronze [1.83m (6-0)] and Emma Haeggblom finished fifth [1.80m (5-10 3/4)].

The women's long jump also saw three Illini stand on the podium together in the top-5. Elizabeth Ndudi led the way with a season-best mark of 6.47m (21-2 3/4) to capture silver. Sophia Beckmon finished in fourth on a mark of 6.36m (20-10 1/2) and Katharina Graman placed fifth, 6.34m (20-9 3/4). Additionally, Beckmon won her 100m heat during the long jump competition to punch her ticket to tomorrow's finals race on the program's sixth-fastest time (11.36).

Meagan Humphries captured bronze in the heptathlon with the program's third-best score of 5,983 points. She won the long jump [6.09m (19-11 3/4)] and took second in the 800m (2:16.74) to earn her medal. Over in the 800m prelims Grace Kombetto shattered the program record as she won her heat to punch her ticket to tomorrow's finals (2:02.00).

The women's squad currently leads the field with 73 points and the men are in 11th place with 10 points.

CHAMPION QUOTES

Women's Heptathlon Champion - JaiCieonna Gero-Holt
"I am actually really proud of myself. It wasn't what I wanted, but I really just wanted to come out here and compete and I think I did that very well. Next time I will hold onto her longer, or anybody else, so it is just a learning process."

Men's Decathlon Champion - Luuk Pelkmans
"I have competed in multiple national championships so far and I have been doing great. I had a lot of potential after day one. I messed up my discus and pole vault which put me in a gap of like 200 points. After it was tough to keep pushing as hard as I would like to, but after all I'm still happy with the result."

BIG TEN CHAMPIONS

JaiCieonna Gero-Holt won the heptathlon on the program record (5,994 points)
Luuk Pelkmans won the decathlon with the program's second-highest score (8,004 points)

PODIUM

Rose Yeboah placed second in the high jump, 1.86m (6-1 1/4)
Elizabeth Ndudi placed second in the long jump, 6.47m (21-2 3/4)
Meagan Humphries placed third in the heptathlon, 5,983 points
Siun Quinn placed third in the high jump, 1.80m (6-0)
Sophia Beckmon placed fourth in the long jump, 6.36m (20-10 1/2)
Katharina Graman placed fifth in the long jump, 6.34m (20-9 3/4)
Emma Haeggblom placed fifth in the high jump, 1.80m (5-10 3/4)

TOP-10 PROGRAM MARKS

First – Heptathlon: JaiCieonna Gero-Holt, 5994 points
First – 800m: Grace Kombetto (2:02.00)
Second – Decathlon: Luuk Pelkmans, 8004 points
Third – Heptathlon: Meagan Humphries, 5,983 points
Sixth – 100m: Sophia Beckmon (11.36)
Seventh – Javelin: JaiCieonna Gero-Holt, 40.97m (134-5)

STANDINGS

WOMEN
1. Illinois – 73
2. Washington – 66
3. Minnesota – 48
4. Nebraska – 46
5. Michigan State – 19
5. Oregon – 19
7. UCLA – 11.5
8. Rutgers – 10
9. Penn State – 9
9. USC – 9
11. Ohio State – 8
11. Wisconsin – 8
13. Purdue – 7.5
14. Iowa – 7
15. Michigan – 5
16. Northwestern – 4
17. Indiana – 1
- Maryland – 0

MEN
1. Oregon – 55
2. Minnesota – 41
3. USC – 30
4. Nebraska – 28
5. Washington – 25
6. Iowa – 18
7. Penn State – 13
8. Michigan – 11
8. Michigan State – 11
8. Rutgers – 11
11. Illinois – 10
12. Indiana – 6
12. Purdue – 6
14. Ohio State – 5
15. Wisconsin – 3
- Maryland – 0
- UCLA – 0

UP NEXT

Illinois track and field is back in action tomorrow (May 17) for the final day of the Big Ten Championships. Field events resume at 10:10 a.m. and track events start at 12:35 p.m. CT.

NOTES

JaiCieonna Gero-Holt won the heptathlon with a school record 5,996 points
- Meagan Humphries placed third with the school's third-best score 5,893 points
Luuk Pelkmans won the decathlon with the program's second-best score 8,004 points
Rose Yeboah placed second in the high jump, 1.86m (6-1 1/4)
- Siun Quinn placed third, 1.83m (6-0)
- Emma Haeggblom placed fifth, 1.80m (5-10 3/4)
Elizabeth Ndudi placed second in the long jump, 6.47m (21-2 3/4)
- Sophia Beckmon placed fourth, 6.36m (20-10 1/2)
- Katharina Graman placed fifth, 6.34m (20-9 3/4)
- Romi Tamir placed 25th, 5.76m (18-10 3/4)
Sophia Beckmon won her 100m heat to qualify to Sunday's finals on the program's sixth-fastest time (11.36)
Grace Kombetto won her 800m heat to qualify to Sunday's finals on the school record time (2:02.00)
Jackson Gilbert placed 10th in the 400m (45.75)
Jip de Greef placed 10th in the 110mH (14.31)
Reece Ihenacho placed 11th in the discus, 55.13m (180-10)
Kennady Anderson placed 13th in the 3000mS (10:40.35)
Trey Sato placed 17th in the 3000mS (9:11.68)
Andreas Hantson placed 19th in the long jump, 7.16m (23-6)
Oluwatomilayo Akintunde placed 23rd in the shot put, 15.02m (49-3 1/2)