Chambana Sun

The University of Illinois' women's track and field team has achieved a notable accomplishment by sweeping the Annual Illinois Athletic Awards for the second consecutive year. The awards, which include Athlete, Newcomer, and Freshman of the Year, were determined by votes from Illinois head coaches and DIA executive staff.

Tacoria Humphrey was named Dike Eddleman Female Athlete of the Year after an impressive season where she earned All-America honors and Big Ten Champion status in both indoor and outdoor events. She secured her Big Ten Indoor title with a record-breaking long jump of 6.94 meters (22-9 1/4), marking it as the third-furthest in NCAA Indoor history. This achievement placed her on The Bowerman Watch List, making her only the third woman from Illinois to be recognized in this manner. Her indoor season concluded with a silver medal at the NCAA Indoor Championships, setting a new high for the program.

During the outdoor season, Humphrey won her second-consecutive Big Ten Outdoor title and became an All-American with a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Her performance marked her as only the second All-American in this event for Illinois since Becky Kaiser in 1982.

Shot putter Abria Smith was honored as Illinois Newcomer of the Year due to significant improvements under coach J.C. Lambert's guidance. Smith increased her personal best by over three meters to reach 18.92 meters (62-1), establishing a program record and ranking as the 14th-furthest throw in NCAA Outdoor history. She finished as national runner-up in shot put during the outdoor season with an 18.85-meter (62-1 1/4) throw and previously became Big Ten Outdoor Champion.

Smith also earned All-America honors during indoor competitions with a seventh-place finish at NCAA Indoor Championships thanks to her program-record throw of 17.99 meters (59-0 1/4). She is noted as following fellow athlete Darja Sopova who received Newcomer of the Year recognition in 2024.

Melissa Wullschleger received accolades as Illinois Freshman of the Year alongside being named Big Ten Freshman of the Year for her performance in heptathlon events. With a program record score of 5,928 points, she secured fourth place at NCAA Outdoor Championships becoming only the third-ever Illini All-American in heptathlon since Carmel Corbett in 1996.

Earlier performances saw Wullschleger taking fourth place at Big Ten Outdoor Championships with a score of 5,749 points and achieving seventh place during indoor pentathlon events at Big Ten Indoor Championships scoring 3,984 points—Illinois’ fourth-highest mark ever recorded.

Wullschleger is recognized as Illinois women’s track & field program’s eleventh Freshman of The Year awardee succeeding Elizabeth Ndudi’s selection last year.