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Illini Gather Six Titles at Mark Colligan Memorial
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Stephanie Richartz set another Illinois school record in the pole vault with a mark of 13-8 1/2 (4.18m) on Saturday.
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Jan. 28, 2012
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - On Saturday at the Mark Colligan Memorial Invitational, sophomore Stephanie Richartz won the pole vault crown, setting her third consecutive school record this season in the event. The Orange and Blue finished with five other individual titles and placed runner-up in the team standings with 133 total points. Michigan took the title, totaling 161.50.
"I thought we did well today," head coach Tonja Buford-Bailey said. "Across the board, we were a lot more versatile. I'm really proud of Stephanie Richartz and Ashley Spencer for their superb performances. We've been setting many new personal records and improving."
Richartz took the pole vault crown with a personal-best mark of 13-8 ½ (4.18m), and set another school record in the event for the third straight week.
"I was really excited to compete somewhere other than our gym," Richartz said. "During the competition I was really nervous. I struggled a bit in the beginning by not clearing the marks on the first attempt, but after the nerves settled down I got into the groove. It was great to see some of the Big Ten competitors I'll be competing with in a few weeks at the indoor championships."
The Illini took one-two in the 60m hurdles, 400m and 600m as sophomore Breeana Coleman set a personal record in the hurdles with a time of 8.35 while sophomore Jesica Ejesieme was close to her personal-best time, finishing with a time of 8.49 to place second. Freshman Ashley Spencer garnered two titles during her first meet on the road as an Illini. Spencer's 400m time of 54.52 and 200m time (personal-record) of 23.94 rank ninth in the Illinois record books. The Illini took the top four spots in the event with Kelly, junior Marissa Golliday and senior Latoya Griffith finishing second, third and fourth, respectively.
"I was really excited for this meet," Spencer said. "I knew this meet would be where a lot of personal records were set and I did just that in the 200m. I'm looking forward to the next couple weeks as I want to be a contender in each event I race."
Ryisha Boyd collected the 600m crown as the senior set a time of 1:31.72, the sixth fastest time in the school record books while senior Jayla McArthur finished second in a time of 1:33.19, just off her fastest time in the event.
The 4x400m relay team of Boyd, Kelly, Ejesieme and Griffith raced to the fastest time in the event with a season-best 3:41.64 while Coleman took runner-up in the 60m (7.62) and junior Kayla Smith set a personal-record time of 7.72 in the event to take fifth.
Junior Kawanna Brooks scored points for the Illini in the long jump as she finished runner-up in the event with a mark of 18-2 ¼ (5.54m).
Next weekend the Illini will host their last indoor event as it hosts the Orange and Blue meet at the UI Armory on Saturday, Feb. 4. The field events begin at 10 a.m. CT with the running events starting at approximately Noon.
Team Standings
1. Michigan, 161.50
2. ILLINOIS, 133
3. Nebraska, 123.50
4. Georgia, 48
5. Akron, 29
Illinois First Place Finishers
60m Hurdles
Breeana Coleman, 8.35
200m
Ashley Spencer, 23.94
400m
Ashley Spencer, 54.42
600m
Ryisha Boyd, 1:31.72
4x400m Relay
Ryisha Boyd, Ashley Kelly, Jesica Ejesieme, Latoya Griffith, 3:41.64
Pole Vault
Stephanie Richartz, 13-8 ½ (4.18m)*
*Illinois school record
