Chambana Sun

The Illinois women's track and field team concluded their participation in the NCAA Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. Rose Yeboah, a redshirt junior, made history by becoming the first national champion for the Illinois women's high jump with a record leap of 1.97 meters (6-5 1/2). This achievement not only marked a new school record but also secured her a spot in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Yeboah's victory is notable as she is the first national champion for the Illinois women's team since Ashley Spencer won the 400m event in 2013. Additionally, she joins an elite group of Illini women who have stood on the podium for this event, being the first since Stacy Ann Grant in 1997.

Junior Darja Sopova also delivered a commendable performance by earning All-America honors in the triple jump. She improved her school record to 14.01 meters (45-11 3/4), making her only the second Illini woman to achieve All-American status in this discipline since Nicole Whitman in 2003.

"Rose Yeboah was the absolute highlight of our team in distinct fashion hitting the automatic qualification standard for the Paris Olympics," stated Petros Kyprianou, director of track, field and cross country. "Winning an NCAA Championship is huge especially in an event that was the deepest in the history of the NCAA."

Other notable performances included junior Jessica McDowell placing ninth in the 400m finals with a time of 51.35 seconds and junior Bara Sajdokova finishing ninth in the high jump with a clearance of 1.87 meters (6-1 1/2).

Hannah Dederick achieved recognition by becoming Illinois' inaugural national champion in the 100m wheelchair race with a time of 16.15 seconds.

The conclusion of this season marks significant achievements under Kyprianou's leadership, including coaching eleven All-Americans and nine Big Ten champions across both indoor and outdoor events. The women's team recorded their highest finishes since 2013 at both NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships.