Ilves, Siedhoff Lead Huskers on Day One at Illinois

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Lishanna Ilves led a 1-2-3 finish for the Husker women in the long jump as the Nebraska track and field team competed on day one of the Fighting Illini Big Ten Relays on Friday, a meet featuring athletes from nearly every Big Ten program. 

Ilves, the Big Ten indoor champion in the long jump, jumped 20-8 1/2 (6.31m) to win gold on Friday ahead of two of her teammates. Ieva Turke was close behind in second at 20-6 1/2 (6.26m), and Darby Thomas rounded out the top three at 20-2 1/4 (6.15m). 

Luke Siedhoff was victorious in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 13.75, his first event win of the outdoor season. Darius Luff finished fourth with a time of 13.94. In the women’s 100-meter hurdles, Thomas earned fifth place (13.90) to lead the Huskers. 

Judi Jones continued her strong outdoor season with her second all-time top-10 mark in the last three weeks. Jones ran the 1,500 meters in 4:22.17, a new personal best that ranks ninth in school history. She finished third overall in the race. 

Eric Garner took second place in the javelin with a mark of 204-6 (62.33m), while Tyler Brown was fourth in the event after posting a throw of 194-0 (59.13m). For the women, Mirta Kulisic was the javelin runner-up after a mark of 161-10 (49.34m). 

Kayla Hugg ran a decisive personal best of 23.99 in the 200 meters and finished third, and she also took seventh place in the 100 meters, running 11.95.

Lorenzo Paissan ran the 100 meters in 10.57 to win his heat and secure fourth place overall. Alex Nelson placed seventh for the men in the 200 meters  in 21.32. Cory Berg also earned a seventh place finish in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 53.32.

Sadio Fenner ran the 3,000-meter steeplechase in 9:26.43 to finish fifth in the race. Taya Skelton was ninth for the Husker women (11:28.08). Grace Pagone ran a 33-second personal best in the 5,000 meters, clocking in at 16:51.10 to finish 15th.

Clayton Keys was the top finisher in the men’s open long jump at 23-0 3/4 (7.03m), and Matthias Algarin was right behind him in second at 22-7 3/4 (6.90m). Nick Ronnfeldt had the second best shot put in the open section, 55-2 (16.81m). 

Luke Russell was sixth in the men’s long jump invitational section with a leap of 22-6 1/2 (6.87m). Zionn Pearson also fared well for the women in sixth place at 19-6 3/4 (5.96m). 

Beth-el Algarin and Lexi Vertin also claimed the top two spots in the women’s open hammer throw. Algarin threw 167-9 (51.15m), while Vertin posted a throw of 157-5 (47.99m).

Shelby Brown grabbed eighth place in the women’s discus with a distance of 157-10 (48.10m). Catherine Mick had a season-best clearance of 12-4 (3.76m) in the pole vault to earn second place in the open section. 

Day two of the Fighting Illini Big Ten Relays begins at 9 a.m. on Saturday in the field. The relays begin at 1:15 p.m.