CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) released its first round of weekly national rankings on Tuesday (Jan. 27). The Fighting Illini women debut as the national leaders for the third time in program history and extend their streak to three-straight years doing so. The men's team slots in at No. 9, just one short of last season when they began No. 8.
The women's squad has eight women with top-5 marks in the nation. Two of the marks are national leaders being Sophia Beckmon in the long jump (6.81m (22-4 1/4)) and Lucie Kienast in the pentathlon (4,337*). JaiCieonna Gero-Holt had a great debut in her first pentathlon as she has the No. 2 score behind Kienast (4,250*) she also leapt the No. 10 high jump in the nation inside that pentathlon (1.84m (6-0 1/2). Mia Morello cleared a new personal best of 4.50m (14-9) in the pole vault for the No. 2 mark in the nation. Romi Tamir broke the Armory record in her triple jump debut with the nation's No. 2 mark, 13.50m (44-3 1/2).
On the men's side there are five athletes with top-10 marks in the nation led by Luuk Pelkmans who is the national leader in the heptathlon (6,151*). His score is currently the second best in the world, a school record and the second best by a Dutch heptathlete all time. His teammate Jip de Greef own's the third-best score in the nation (6,019*). Cody Johnston set a new personal best in the pole vault in one of the most stacked men's events this year as his new PB of 5.62m (18-5 1/4) is the No. 7 mark in the nation.
NATIONAL TOP-16 ATHLETES
WOMEN
#1 Sophia Beckmon – long jump, 6.81m (22-4 1/4)
#1 Lucie Kienast – pentathlon, 4,337*
#2 JaiCieonna Gero-Holt – pentathlon, 4,250*
#2 Mia Morello – pole vault, 4.50m (14-9)
#2 Romi Tamir – triple jump, 13.50m (44-3 1/2)
#3 Jordan Koskondy – weight throw, 22.91m (75-2)
#4 Mercy Honesty – 13.38m (43-10 3/4)
#4 Phethisang Makhethe – 22.77m (74-8 1/2)
#9 Oluwatomilayo Akintunde – 21.83m (71-7 1/2)
#10 JaiCieonna Gero-Holt – high jump, 1.84m (6-0 1/2)
#12 Katharina Graman – triple jump, 13.08m (42-11)
#16 Romi Tamir – long jump, 6.33m (20-9 1/4)
MEN
#1 Luuk Pelkmans – heptathlon, 6,151*
#3 Jip de Greef – heptathlon, 6,019*
#7 Cody Johnston – pole vault, 5.62m (18-5 1/4)
#8 Viktor Morozov – triple jump, 16.10m (52-10)
#9 Kennedy Ocansey – high jump, 2.18m (7-1 3/4)
