CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Illinois men’s and women’s track and field teams are set for their second meet of the year on Fri.-Sat., Jan. 12-13, at Vanderbilt University for the Commodore Challenge. Friday competition will begin with field events at noon and track events at 5 p.m. CT. Saturday’s competition begins with field events at 10 a.m. and track events at noon CT.
Junior Tori Thomas had a stellar showing in the first meet of the year last week, vaulting a new personal-best and UI Armory record 4.42m (14-6). This mark currently stands as second-best in the nation this season and in Illinois history. Junior newcomer Kam Garrett etched his name into the Illinois record books as well with his 2.18m (7-1 3/4), a mark good enough for third in program history and in the nation this season.
Both Thomas and Garrett earned Big Ten Field Athlete of the Week honors for their performances. Thomas becomes the first Illini women’s field athlete of the week since Kandie Bloch-Jones on Jan. 18, 2017. Garrett becomes the first men’s field athlete of the week since Manning Plater on Jan. 18, 2021.
Graduate student Amber Simpson smashed the program weight throw record with a throw of 20.31m (66-7 3/4). The previous record was held by Gia Lewis, 18.91m (62-0 1/2), from 2002. Freshman Jordan Koskondy would have thrown a school record if it wasn’t for Simpson besting her. Koskondy resides at second with her 19.51m (64-0 1/4) throw.
Second-year director of track and field/cross country Petros Kyprianou brought in 22 new faces into the program this year via transfers and incoming freshmen. A pair of his freshmen placed themselves in the 60m-dash top-10 record book.
Asia Thomas is second with a time of 7.28 seconds, a hundredth of a second shy of the school record. Sophia Beckmon, who is primarily a long jumper, is tenth at 7.38 seconds. Freshman Llyric Driscoll leaped to tenth in the Orange and Blue long jump record book at 6.01m (19-8 3/4).
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