Feb. 15, 2008

AMES, Iowa - Senior LaNeisha Waller ran the top time in the 60m hurdles preliminaries at the Iowa State Classic, leading the way for Illinois' women's track and field team on Friday.

Waller ran a season-best time of 8.30 seconds to finish first out of 74 athletes and improve her NCAA provisional qualifying mark in the event. Junior Nikkita Holder will join Waller in tomorrow's 60m hurdles final, as Holder finished fifth in prelims with an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 8.40.

The Illini received a number of personal-bests in the 200m, led by senior Tiara Armstrong finishing sixth with a time of 24.18. Junior Omoye Ugiagbe finished 10th with a personal-best time of 24.52, while freshman Melissa Bates was close behind with a time of 24.60 to finish 11th.

"Our hurdlers had a very good day, as well as our 200m runners," head coach Gary Winckler said. "We have room for improvement in the long jump, but all in all it was a pretty successful day."

Waller led the way for Illinois in the long jump, finishing fifth with a distance of 19 feet, 5 1/2 inches. Freshman Jessica Penney was sixth in 19' 3 1/2", while sophomore Alecia Beckford-Stewart was 12th (18' 6 1/2").

The Iowa State Classic concludes tomorrow, beginning with the running events at 9:25 a.m.