Full Results
EUGENE, Ore. – The Illinois women’s team placed fifth at the NCAA Outdoor Championships with 29.5 points on Saturday (June 14) from Hayward Field at Oregon. This is the program’s highest finish in 29 years since the 1996 squad placed fourth.
It’s only the second time this century that the team has finished inside the top-10 joining the 2002 team that took 10th. Fifth is now the program’s third-highest finish as the 1995 and 1996 teams each finished in fourth.
This marks the sixth time the Orange and Blue women have concluded the outdoor season inside the top-10. The six All-American’s are also the most the program has seen since the 1996 team had 10.
“I’m immensely proud of what we’ve done,” said director of track, field and cross country Petros Kyprianou. “We did something that no other Illinois women’s track and field team has done in nearly 30 years and that’s place top-5 in the country. Not to mention, we were one and a half points shy of walking out of here with a trophy.’
‘A huge shout out to every one of our All-American’s: Sophia Beckmon, Tacoria Humphrey, Mia Morello, Abria Smith, Melissa Wullschleger and Rose Yeboah. Every single point that they fought for and earned made this fifth-place finish possible. I want to mention the men’s All-American’s too with Kam Garrett and Cody Johnston. I’m proud of their efforts and can’t wait to see how they improve next season.’
‘We are only going to get better. I’m ecstatic to welcome in all our signees to join this already talented and competitive roster. There’s no place like Illinois and we showed that this weekend; we can compete with the best of the best in the nation. Next year we will be bringing a trophy home with us.”
Rose Yeboah is the national runner-up in the high jump leaping a season-beast 1.93m (6-4). She’s the first Illini high jumper to earn All-America honors in consecutive seasons since Stacy Ann Grant achieved this feat in 1996, 1997 and 1998. This is now the school’s fifth high jump All-America honor.
Yeboah completes her senior season with two All-America honors and a Big Ten Outdoor Championships silver medal. The Kumasi, Ghana native is now a NCAA champion, NCAA runner-up, four-time All-American, a Big Ten champion and four-time Big Ten medalist.
Melissa Wullschleger closes her freshman year as an All-American heptathlete…
CLICK HERE to Read the Full Original Article at University of Illinois Athletics…