Champaign, Ill. – With the 2015-2016 Women's Track and Field season set to commence this Friday at the Eastern Illinois University Early Bird, Coach Garner brings in a talented freshman class with high hopes of elevating the program during their first season on campus. In addition to the newcomers, the Illini return Big Ten Championships point scorers Kandie Bloch Jones (high jump), Nicole Choquette (600m), Jasmine Berry (400m hurdles), Britten Petrey (3,000m steeplechase), and Jenn DeBellis (pole vault).
Distance Events:
The distance group is coming off a cross-country season that saw the program's best finish at Big Ten Championships in over five years. Distance Coach Scott Jones will look to Britten Petrey and Nicole Choquette to lead the group during the indoor season. Last season, Petrey placed eighth at Big Ten Championships and qualified for the NCAA Prelims in the 3,000m steeplechase, while Nicole Choquette won the 600m Big Ten title at indoors last February, and then qualified for NCAA prelims in the 800m. Joining the duo will be Denise Branch, steeplechase champion at the Illinois Twilight, Amanda Fox, who holds the ninth-fastest 10K time in school history, and two-time IHSA All-State selections Kristina Kladar and Katie Escobar.
Sprints/Hurdles:
In sprints, the Illini will lean on the experience of Kym Taylor to lead a talented group of freshman this season. Taylor comes in after competing at Big Ten Championships last season in the 100m, 200m. Sprints coach Randy Gillon will be in charge of training a host of freshmen that have attained national recognition during their high school careers. Freshmen Emone' Davis, Morgan Shulz and Briana Driver will all look to make their mark on the track during their first season. Hailing from Danville, Illinois, Davis touts All-American honors in the 4x100m and school records in the 60m, 4x100m and 4x400m events. Shulz won the indoor state championship in the 800m, while breaking Cary-Grove school records in the 100m, 200m, 300m, 400m, and 800m. Driver comes to the University of Illinois after breaking the Mother McAuley school record in the 400m.
In hurdles, Jasmine Berry and Pedrya Seymour bring the most experience back from last season with her eighth-place finish in the 400m hurdles at Big Ten Championships, including a personal-record time during prelims, while Seymour placed ninth overall in the 400m hurdles and had a season-best time in the 200m (:24.96). Joining the duo will be freshman Jayla Stewart and junior-college transfer Kortni Smyers-Jones. Hailing from Olympia Fields, Stewart comes in as a five-time All-American, while also racking up titles at Hershey Nationals and Illinois Prep Top Times in the 100m hurdles. Junior-college transfer, Kortni Smyers-Jones, comes to Illinois after being a two-time state champion in the 100m hurdles at Laney Community College.
Jumps:
Kandie Bloch-Jones begins her junior season on campus after being one of the team's most consistent competitors during her first two seasons. Currently third on the school's all-time list with a leap of (6'-0 ½"), Bloch-Jones scored points for the Illini at Big Ten Championships, placing fourth at indoors and fifth at outdoor before placing 20th at NCAA Championships in June. Along with Bloch-Jones, Janile Rogers returns after competing at Big Ten Championships last season in the long jump. Newcomers Kortni Smyers-Jones, a state champion at Laney College as a freshman, and freshman Sarah Hargrove, 2014 Virginia State Champion in the long jump, will look to add depth to the group.
Pole Vault:
Although the team loses five-time Big Ten Champion and school record holder Stephanie Richartz, Jennifer DeBellis returns for her senior season, holding the second-best pole vault mark (13'-7") in Fighting Illini history. The Vancouver, Washington native placed fourth at Big Ten Indoor Championships in 2015 and has twice qualified for NCAA West Prelims. Sara McKeeman, Liz Livingston, and freshman Carolyn Nye will provide depth at the position.
The Fighting Illini begin their season this Friday, December 11 at the Eastern Illinois Early Bird. The first home competition for the Illini will come after the New Year on January 9 when they host the Border Battle at the UI Armory.
