CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Illinois men’s and women’s track and field team completed their first meet of the season, the Fighting Illini Open, on Saturday (Jan. 11) at the UI Armory. Tacoria Humphrey had the highlight of the day when she leaped the school and UI Armory long jump record, 6.78m (22-3), which also currently leads the nation for the 2025 season.
The Illinois women’s long jumpers didn’t stop at Humphrey, second through sixth place all recorded a top-10 mark in the exact order of their finish. Sophia Beckmon placed second with the program’s second-best mark (6.71m (22-0 1/4), No. 2 nationally), Darja Sopova placed third on the program’s third-best mark (6.51m (21-4 1/4), No. 4 nationally), Morgan Smalls placed fourth on the program’s fourth-best mark (6.49m (21-3 1/2), No. 5 nationally), Elizabeth Ndudi placed fifth on the program’s fifth-best mark (6.42m (21-0 3/4), No. 7 nationally) and Lucie Kienast placed sixth on the program’s sixth-best mark (6.33m (20-9 1/4), No. 10 nationally).
Phethisang Makhethe wasted no time taking down a school record in the very first event of the season, the weight throw. She threw 22.28m (73-1 1/4) on her second attempt to secure the win, school record and national No. 2 mark.
Jordan Koskondy threw the program’s third-best weight throw in her second-place finish, 20.94m (68-8 1/2, No. 6 nationally), while newcomer Abria Smith placed third with the program’s fourth-best throw, 20.13m (66-0 1/2, No. 13 nationally). Smith would also later throw the program’s third-best shot put in her win, 15.92m (52-2 3/4).
Cody Johnston earned gold in the pole vault with the program’s fourth-best clearance, 5.43m (17-9 3/4, No. 5 nationally). Viktor Morozov won the long jump with the program’s fifth-best jump and currently the nation’s second-furthest long jump, 7.81m (25-7 1/2).
Dewayne Johnson immediately etched his name into the 60-meter hurdles program record book with the school’s sixth-fastest and currently nation’s 10th-fastest time (7.78) in his win.
Tyler Sudduth won the weight throw with a throw of 21.43m (70-3 3/4, No. 9 nationally) and Javaris Ambrose took second, 19.02m (62-5). Sudduth later topped the podium in the shot put as well, 18.71m (61-4 3/4, No. 11 nationally).
Tori Thomas took the pole vault crown with her 4.33m (14-2 1/2, No. 4…
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