Full Results
LINCOLN, Neb. – The Fighting Illini men's and women's track and field teams finished the Big Ten Outdoor Championships on Sunday (May 17) from the Nebraska Outdoor Track. Jonathan Kapitolnik left the field as the high jump Big Ten Champion while women's squad scored 92 points to take silver, their highest finish since the 2013 team also placed second.
"This was a good weekend for Illinois track and field," said director of track, field and cross country Petros Kyprianou. "I want to shoutout our three champions JaiCieonna Gero-Holt, Jonathan Kapitolnik and Luuk Pelkmans. Those three did an amazing job battling the high winds and adapting quickly. They all deserve those gold medals around their necks.'
'I know we didn't come out on top on the women's side, but a second-place finish speaks volumes to what we are building here. The highest finish for us in 13 years and scoring 92 points in an 18-team field is nothing to hang our heads about. We continue to build and improve. I'm excited to get into my favorite portion of the season now with the NCAA Championships on the horizon."
Since the 2013 silver medal the women's team never finished any higher than ninth before Kyprianou arrived. During his tenure they've finished eighth (2023), fourth (2024), fifth (2025) and now second.
Kapitolnik cleared the program's third-best high jump, 2.21m (7-3), to become the first Illini man on the Big Ten high jump podium in five years (Jonathan Wells, 2021). He's the program's seventh individual to win high jump gold and he collects the program's eighth event title. His teammate Kennedy Ocansey also made the podium in seventh place, 2.09m (6-10 1/4).
Katharina Graman led the way for the women today after she leaped the program record wind-aided triple jump of 13.57m (44-6 1/4) to earn silver. During competition she also recorded a wind legal 13.50m (44-6 1/4) which is the second-best mark in school history.
On the track Grace Kombetto made her presence known after she sprinted to a bronze medal in the 800m (2:04.37). Sophia Beckmon clocked the school's second-fastest wind-aided time in the 100m to earn fourth place (11.11).
Viktor Morozov captured silver as well in the men's triple jump on the program record wind-aided mark of 16.43m (53-11) and Zavien Wolfe placed fourth on the program's third-best wind-aided mark, 16.25m (53-3 3/4). Jacob Cookinham threw the school's third-best mark in the shot put to place sixth, 19.22m (63-0 3/4).
Cody Johnston and Brenden Vanderpool both stood on the podium together in a deep pole vault field. Johnston made his outdoor debut with a 5.52m (18-1 1/4) vault to take sixth place and Vanderpool cleared the program's seventh-best mark, 5.42m (17-9 1/4), to place eighth.
BIG TEN CHAMPIONS
CHAMPION QUOTES
Men's High Jump Champion - Jonathan Kapitolnik
"I feel great with my performance today. I arrived in the U.S. not too long ago. This is my first big competition. I didn't do indoor, so it was really exciting for me to win this. The conditions today were not easy, but I feel like I was able to adapt really well. In the end all you need is one good jump and here I am. I feel like I am in good shape and that I can do more than this. It is just focusing, doing what we do in practice and believing that you can do it. Just go give your all and hope for the best."
PODIUM
TOP-10 PROGRAM MARKS
First (wind) – Triple Jump: Katharina Graman, 13.57m (44-6 1/4)
First (wind) – Triple Jump: Viktor Morozov, 16.43m (53-11)
Second (wind) – 100m: Sophia Beckmon (11.11)
Second – Triple Jump: Katharina Graman, 13.50m (
Third – High Jump: Jonathan Kapitolnik, 2.21m (7-3)
Third – Shot Put: Jacob Cookinham, 19.22m (63-0 3/4)
Third (wind) – Triple Jump: Zavien Wolfe, 16.25m (53-3 3/4)
Seventh – Pole Vault: Brenden Vanderpool, 5.42m (17-9 1/4)
Seventh – Pole Vault: Gator Young, 5.42m (17-9 1/4)
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STANDINGS
WOMEN
1. Oregon – 110
2. Illinois – 92
3. USC – 90
4. Washington – 88
5. Nebraska – 81
6. Minnesota – 76
7. Ohio State – 55
8. UCLA – 44.5
9. Purdue – 34.5
10. Iowa – 29
11. Penn State – 25
12. Michigan – 24
13. Wisconsin – 23
14. Michigan State – 19
15. Rutgers – 13
16. Indiana – 9
17. Northwestern – 6
- Maryland – 0
MEN
1. Oregon – 121
2. Minnesota – 81
2. Nebraska – 81
4. USC – 70.5
5. Ohio State – 62
6. Washington – 57
7. Iowa – 56
8. Penn State – 46.5
9. Michigan – 46
10. Illinois – 41.5
11. Purdue – 39
12. Rutgers – 31
13. Indiana – 29
14. Wisconsin – 17
15. Michigan State – 15
16. UCLA – 14.5
17. Maryland – 11
UP NEXT
Illinois track and field returns to action next week for the NCAA West Preliminaries on Wednesday-Saturday (May 27-30) in Fayetteville, Ark.
NOTES
- Gator Young placed ninth in the pole vault, 5.42m (17-9 1/4)
- Pol Molins placed 12th in the 1500m (4:04.26)
- Alex Sohn placed 14th in the shot put, 17.81m (58-5 1/4)
- Romi Tamir placed 22nd in the triple, 12.17m (39-11 1/4)
- Mireya Bugeja placed 31st in the 5000m (17:57.20)
