CHAMPAIGN, IL (CHAMBANA TODAY)– The No. 7 Illinois women’s track and field squad completed their first day of competition at the NCAA West Preliminaries on Thursday (May 23). Three more Illini field athletes have punched their tickets to the NCAA Outdoor Championships: graduate student Amber Simpson in the hammer throw and two pole vaulters junior Tori Thomas and sophomore Mia Morello.

The top-12 athletes in field events from each the NCAA East and West Preliminaries advance to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore.

Simpson is heading back to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the hammer throw after she placed fifth today with a throw of 66.14m (217-0). She’s qualified to the outdoor national meet in back-to-back seasons after she placed third at the NCAA East Preliminaries last year with Memphis to qualify.

Junior Tori Thomas is now a back-to-back qualifier as well with her eighth-place finish clearing 4.30m (14-1 1/4) in the pole vault. She qualified with Illinois last year clearing 4.22m (13-10) at the NCAA West Prelims. Sophomore Mia Morello became a first-time qualifier to the NCAA Outdoor Championships as she claimed the 12th and final spot. She also cleared 4.30m (14-1 1/4) which is a new personal best for her and improves her program’s third-best mark.

Junior Jessica McDowell tied her personal best and program’s third-fastest 400m time of 51.41 to take second in her heat, seventh overall. This earned her an automatic qualifying spot into Saturday’s quarterfinals round that’s slated to begin at 6:50 p.m. CT.

Fellow junior Halle Hill placed 14th overall in the 1500m and advances to Saturday’s quarterfinals round with a time of 4:19.91. Her time was the fastest at-large qualifying time since the top-5 in each heat earned automatic bids, the next four fastest earn the at-large spots. Her race will begin at 5:15 p.m. CT.

Freshman Elizabeth Ndudi led the Illini in the long jump with her 14th-place finish (6.52m (21-4 3/4) falling two spots shy of advancing to Eugene. This was one of the deepest long jump competitions in NCAA West Prelims history as 6.53m in the NCAA East Prelims won and 6.16m was the last spot in.

Junior and Big Ten Champion Tacoria Humphrey placed 17th (6.48m (21-3 1/4)), junior Darja Sopova placed 24th (6.35m (20-10)) and freshman Sophia Beckmon placed 35th (6.10m (20-0 1/4)). Junior Phethisang Makhethe placed 23rd in the hammer throw competition, 57.51m (188-8).

UP NEXT

The men’s team will finish out their NCAA West Preliminaries action tomorrow (May 24) with field events beginning at 1 p.m. and track events at 5 p.m. CT. Fans can tune-in to ESPN+ at 5 p.m. to watch the action.

NOTES

  • Amber Simpson placed fifth and qualified to the NCAA Championships in the hammer throw, 66.14m (217-0).
  • Tori Thomas placed eighth and qualified to the NCAA Championships in the pole vault, 4.30m (14-1 1/4).
    • Mia Morello placed 12th and qualified to the NCAA Championships with the program’s third-best mark, 4.30m (14-1 1/4).
  • Jessica McDowell placed seventh in the 400m (51.41) and qualified to Saturday’s quarterfinals.
  • Halle Hill placed 14th in the 1500m (4:19.91) and qualified to Saturday’s quarterfinals.
  • Elizabeth Ndudi placed 14th in the long jump, 6.52m (21-4 3/4).