CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Illinois men’s and No. 6 women’s track and field squads are set to conclude their regular season at home on Saturday (May 4) with the Fighting Illini Tune-Up. Field events are set to begin at 11:30 a.m. CT, and running events start at 2:30 p.m. CT. Seniors will be recognized at Demirjian Park at 1:30 p.m. CT.
The following 12 seniors will be recognized (seven men and five women): Tyler Cushing, Anthony Maida, Aiden Ouimet, Will Rezny, Jack Roberts, Tyler Sudduth, Robert Williams, Taylor Beard, Jessica McDowell, Kelsey Rothas, Breena Shreeves and Amber Simpson.
Simpson highlights the senior crew with her Big Ten- and school-record hammer throw of 70.21m (230-4) that she set at the last home meet, the Gary Wieneke Memorial, on April 13. It’s also 13 centimeters away from being the nation’s leading mark for the 2024 outdoor season.
At the same meet, Sudduth launched the program’s second-best shot put at 19.85m (65-1 1/2) and seventh-best hammer throw at 60.90m (185-8). His shot put currently ranks seventh nationally for 2024.
Ouimet bested his school record decathlon in his first appearance this season at the 64th annual Mt. SAC Relays with 7,794 points, which ranks seventh in the nation currently.
McDowell sprinted the program’s third-fastest and nation’s 11th-fastest 400m at the Florida Relays, clocking in at 51.41. She also ran the third leg of the program’s second-fastest 4x100m relay squad with a time of 43.78 at the 64th annual Mt. SAC Relays. This time is just .05 seconds off breaking the school record.
Three other Illini seniors recorded top-10 program marks this season: Roberts in the 5000m (fifth, 13:55.89), Rezny in the shot put (seventh, 18.32m (60-1 1/4)) and Beard in the high jump (10th, 1.77m (5-9 3/4)).
2024 Outdoor Big Ten Records: 1
2024 Outdoor School Records: 4
2024 Outdoor Program Top-10 Marks: 42
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