Chambana Sun

The Illinois women's track and field team had a notable performance at the NCAA Outdoor Championships held in Eugene, Oregon. Graduate student Amber Simpson achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first-ever All-American in the women's hammer throw for Illinois, securing an eighth-place finish with a throw of 67.73 meters (222-2). Simpson concluded her season holding both the Big Ten and school records for the hammer throw at 70.21 meters (230-4) and set a new record in the weight throw with 22.01 meters (72-2 1/2).

Junior Tori Thomas also made headlines by becoming the second-ever women's pole vaulter from Illinois to earn All-America honors, finishing seventh with a vault of 4.40 meters (14-5 1/4). This achievement follows her outdoor Big Ten title where she set a meet record vault of 4.52 meters (14-10). Thomas was previously an All-American at the NCAA Indoor Championships.

In another significant performance, junior Jessica McDowell advanced to Saturday's finals in the 400m event, clocking her career-best time of 50.98 seconds, marking her first sub-51-second run.

Senior Aiden Ouimet finished eleventh in the decathlon with personal bests including a discus throw of 42.20 meters (138-5). He leaves Illinois as their first Big Ten champion decathlete and holds school records in both decathlon and heptathlon events.

The women's 4x100m relay team, consisting of freshmen Asia Thomas and Sophia Beckmon, junior Tacoria Humphrey, and McDowell placed thirteenth with a time of 43.71 seconds, breaking a longstanding school record from 1996.

Sophomore Mia Morello ended her season placing twenty-second in pole vaulting at this championship with a height of 4.00 meters (13-1 1/2), marking her first qualification for this event.

Upcoming events include performances by Illini athletes Kam Garrett and Viktor Morozov on June 7th during men's competition finals.