University of Illinois
Drake Relays
Illinois Field Athletes Prepped for Drake Relays
April 25, 2024 | Women's Track & Field, Men's Track & Field
Preview
| Drake Relays | |
|---|---|
| Dates: | Friday-Saturday, April 26-27 |
| Location: | Drake Stadium // Des Moines, Iowa |
| Meet Information: | Live Results // Meet Schedule |
| Performance List: | Men // Women |
| Shop: | Fighting Illini Store |
| Social Media: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook |
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Illinois men's and No. 6 women's field athletes are set for the Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa, on April 26-27. A small group of nine field athletes will represent the Orange and Blue in this weekend's competition.
Graduate student Amber Simpson will be one of the athletes making the trip. In her last outing at the Gary Wieneke Memorial, she threw the program- and Big Ten-record hammer throw. Her toss of 70.21m (230-4) also is the national No. 2 mark for the 2024 outdoor season.
Three other Illini will be joining Simpson in the hammer throw competition: sophomore Olivia Campbell and freshmen Jordan Koskondy and Javaris Ambrose. Each of these three throwers owns top-10 program hammer throw marks. Campbell's 60.55m (198-8) was the school record until Simpson shattered it, Koskondy's 55.50m (182-1) is the fifth best and Ambrose's 60.15m (197-4) is the eighth-best mark.
Junior Tori Thomas leads the women's pole vault crew with the program's second-best vault (4.37m (14-4)), which currently ranks seventh in the nation. She set this mark at the Gary Wieneke Memorial. Her teammate, sophomore Mia Morello, is right behind her in the school record book with her vault of 4.20m (13-9 1/4) set at the Hurricane Invitational.
Freshman Cody Johnston will close out this weekend's competition in the men's pole vault on Saturday. His 5.60m (18-4 1/2) personal best set at the Florida Relays ranks third in the program and sixth in the nation for 2024.
2024 Outdoor Big Ten Records: 1
2024 Outdoor School Records: 4
2024 Outdoor Program Top-10 Marks: 41
