Humphrey, Yeboah Each Earn Big Ten Title on Day Two of Big Ten Outdoor Championships

CHAMPAIGN, IL (CHAMBANA TODAY)– The Illinois men’s and No. 5 women’s track and field teams completed the second day of the Big Ten Outdoor Championships on Saturday (May 11). Junior Tacoria Humphrey and redshirt junior Rose Yeboah each were crowned Big Ten Champions in the long jump and high jump, respectively.

Yeboah cleared 1.82m (5-11 1/2) in the high jump to earn 10 team points. She’s the first Big Ten Champion for the Illini women’s squad in 26 years since Stacy Ann Grant last won it in 1998. She’s the fifth individual in Illinois history to win a B1G Outdoor Championship in the high jump.

Humphrey leapt 6.42m (21-0 3/4) in the long jump to earn 10 team points. She becomes the first Illini woman Big Ten Champion in the event since Yvonne Mensah in 2006 (18 years). She’s also now the fifth individual in school history to win a Big Ten Championship in the long jump outdoors.

Senior Tyler Sudduth threw the competition’s third best shot put to score six team points, 19.19m (62-11 1/2). Fellow senior Will Rezny placed eighth to score one team point, 18.14m (59-6 1/4).

Freshman Elizabeth Ndudi placed fourth in the long jump with a hop of 6.21m (20-4 1/2) to earn five team points. Sophia Beckmon placed fifth to score four team points with the same exact mark, but her secondary jump was shorter than Ndudi’s which broke the tie. Junior Darja Sopova rounded out the competition in eighth placed to score one team point, 6.09m (19-11 3/4).

Junior Bara Sajdokova placed fourth in the high jump to earn five team points, 1.76m (5-9 1/4). Graduate student Taylor Beard followed in fifth place to score four team points, 1.73m (5-8).

Junior Sam Poglitsch rounded out the meet with two more team points from her seventh-place finish in the 3000m steeplechases on season-best time (10:32.74).

1. Nebraska (73.33)
2. Illinois (64)
3. Minnesota (51)
4. Penn State (46)
5. Michigan (24)
6. Wisconsin (22)
7. Ohio State (16)
8. Iowa (15)
9. Purdue (14)
10. Rutgers (11)
11. Michigan State (8)
12. Maryland (6.33)
13. Indiana (0.33)

1. Nebraska (57)
2. Wisconsin (38)
3. Michigan State (34)
4. Iowa (22)
4. Michigan (22)
6. Minnesota (20)
6. Purdue (20)
8. Illinois (14)
8. Indiana (14)
10. Ohio State (11)
10. Penn State (11)
12. Rutgers (6)
13. Maryland (4)

The Orange and Blue track and field squads finish out the Big Ten Championships tomorrow (May 12) with field events starting at 10 a.m. and track events starting at 11:45 a.m. CT.

Scorers and Top-10 Program Marks

• Rose Yeboah wins the high jump, 1.82m (5-11 1/2).
  • Bara Sajdokova placed fourth, 1.76m (5-9 1/4).
  • Taylor Beard placed fifth, 1.73m (5-8).
• Tacoria Humphrey wins long jump, 6.42m (21-0 3/4).
  • Elizabeth Ndudi placed fourth, 6.21m (20-4 1/2). Her secondary jump was better to break the tie over Beckmon.
  • Sophia Beckmon placed fifth, 6.21m (20-4 1/2).
  • Darja Sopova placed eighth, 6.09m (19-11 3/4).
• Tyler Sudduth placed third in the shot put, 19.19m (62-11 1/2).
  • Will Rezny placed eighth, 18.14m (59-6 1/4).
• Sam Poglitsch placed seventh in the 3000mS (10:32.74).

Full Illini Results

• Michail Rose placed 10th in the 110mH (14.31).
• Will Merrick placed 10th in the 3000mS (9:06.28).
• Viktor Morozov placed 11th in the long jump, 7.28m (23-10 3/4).
• Asia Thomas placed 12th in the 100m (11.72).
  • Azariyah Bryant placed 19th (12.05).
• Amalia Malecek placed 13th in the 3000mS (11:10.15).
• Nicolas Dovalovsky placed 15th in the 800m (1:50.55).
  • Tadeas Placek placed 16th in the 800m (1:50.81).