Illini Travel to Minneapolis for Big Ten Outdoor Championships

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The Illinois men’s and women’s track and field teams are set to compete in the 2022 Big Ten Outdoor Championships, hosted in Minnesota at the University of Minnesota Track and Field Stadium Friday through Sunday (May 13-15).

With the Fighting Illini, the entire Big Ten will join them including Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Rutgers, and Wisconsin.

The competition will start Friday in the 100m decathlon at 12 pm CT, with events on Saturday also starting in the decathlon, with 110m hurdles at 10 am CT. Sunday’s action will begin at 11 a.m. in CT with the men’s javelin and pole vault and the women’s triple jump.

Follow the Action
Live results can be used via PrimeTime Timing HERE and Illini fans can follow the action on @IlliniTrackXC on Twitter. All aspects of the Championships can be streamed or televised via the Big Ten Network or B1G + (subscription required).

Last Season of the Big Ten Outdoor Championships
Last season, Illinois hosted the Demirjian Park Championships for the first time since 2008. The Illini men finished the 2021 Big Ten Outdoor Championships in eighth place with 58 points, their highest finish since 2017 , while the women finished their afternoon in 11th place with 31 points, their highest since 2015.

The Illini’s first gold of the weekend came from a former standout Jonathan Wells, who earned first place in the men’s high jump and long jump. Wells rose to 7-2.5 ft. (2.20 m) in a severe vertical jump-off, and after his competitor could not match. Wells won the men’s long jump by jumping 25-2.5 ft. (7.68 m).

Jon Davis then started the championship on Sunday with a victory in the 1500 m by the men. His time of 3: 51.55 inspired the group and scored ten important points for the men’s side. Olivia Howell That was followed directly by a record-breaking performance of her own, winning the women’s 1500 m in 4: 12.86. This mark is the new Illinois program record and sets PR for Howell.

To conclude the meeting for the Illini, the quartet Robert Williams, Jason Thormo, Aman Thornton and Kashief King took home a gold medal in the men’s 4×400 m relay, with their mark of 3: 06.26 the fastest team relay time of the year.

Last Time Out
The Illinois men’s and women’s track teams open the Drake Relays competition on Friday (April 29) at Drake Stadium, hosted by the junior Olivia Howell won the women’s 1500m in a time of 4: 15.50 in the prestigious event.

The day began with the women’s 4x1600m relay team comprised of redshirt-seniors Rebecca Craddockgraduate student Allison McGrathjunior Tracy townsand freshman Halle is a hill registering for third place finishing with a time of 19: 39.14.

Junior Jessica McDowell earned a bronze medal for the Illini in the women’s 400m as she ran in a time of 54.24.

The Illini ended the day by finishing fourth in the men’s 4x200m relay as a freshman squad. Dacorey Wareelderly Declan Rustayjunior Aiden Ouimet and sophomore Keegan Anderson posted time 1: 26.04.

The Illinois men’s and women’s track and field teams finished the Drake Relays competition on Saturday (April 30), marked by the podium finish of the men’s 4x110m hurdle relay team.

Saturday’s encounter kicks off the 4x110m hurdles relay podium finish as freshman DeVontae Fordjunior Robert Williamselderly Bret Dannis and senior Jaden Jackson claimed silver for the Illini with a 57.77 finish.

In the women’s distance medley, senior Emma Milburnjunior Jessica McDowellfreshman Sam Poglitsch and junior Olivia Howell finished in fourth, clocked in 11: 23.51. The Illini continued their strong relay performance over the weekend as a senior quartet Declan Rustayfreshman Dacorey Wareredshirt-junior Kashief King and freshman William Merrick finished fifth in the men’s sprint relay with a time of 3: 21.99.

Illini in Rank
Illinois men are ranked No. 9 of the latest Outdoor USTFCCCA Midwest Regional TFR, while the women are at No. 10.

Next Up
Following the Big Ten Indoor Championships, qualified athletes will compete in the 2022 NCAA West Prelims on May 26-28 at John McDonnell Field in Fayetteville, Ark.

For more news on the Fighting Illini Track & Field, stay tuned to FightingIllini.com and follow @IlliniTrackXC on social media: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook.