Last season, the Illinois men’s track and field team boasted a feat that it hadn’t done since 1994 — the 1600-meter relay squad recorded fifth place in NCAA Championships to earn All-America honors.
Led by head coach Mike Turk, the team also finished second in the Big Ten Indoor Championships, which was the highest finish in program history since the 2000 season.
While you were out
The Illini traveled to Columbus, Ohio for the Big Ten Outdoor Championships and placed fourth, finishing with 86 points. Vanier Joseph won his first Big Ten Outdoor title in the 110-meter hurdles, crossing the finish line with a time of 13.70 seconds.
With Joseph’s win, the Illini have now won the event for its fourth consecutive year.
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Stephon Pamilton also became Illinois’ second individual champion in the 400-meter with a time of 46.06. The relay team of DJ Zahn, Cameron Viney, Juan Paul Green and Pamilton also found success after finishing second with a time of 3 minutes, 9 seconds.
After the championship, 19 athletes traveled to the NCAA West Preliminary Round of Championships, where 11 athletes qualified for nationals in Eugene, Ore. The 4×400 relay squad won more honors after finishing fifth with a time of 3:04:83, recording the highest finish in the event since 1994.
What to watch for
After the collegiate season officially ended, five of Illinois’ track and field members traveled to Iowa to test the competition at either the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships or the USA Junior Track and Field Championships. Viney ran the 400 in the senior meet while Green competed in the junior meet. Green placed second in the 400, which allowed him to advance to the 2013 Pan American Junior Championships. He will represent Team USA in Medellin, Columbia in late August.
The 4×400 relay of four seniors — composed of Zahn, Viney, Green and Pamilton — looks to surpass its second-place finish at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships this season.
