Illinois Track and Field Flies to Arkansas for Razorback Invitational

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Illinois men's track and field team is set to continue its indoor season at the Razorback Invitational at the Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, Ark. Competition will be spread across two days on Friday-Saturday, Jan. 30-31.

The Razorback Invitational annually draws one of the most competitive fields of the indoor season, giving the Fighting Illini an early opportunity to test themselves against top programs from across the country. This will be a preview of the national meet as the NCAA Indoor Championships will be held here in March. 

It serves as a key benchmark meet on Illinois' indoor slate, offering a fast track, elite competition, and a postseason-like atmosphere. Performances this weekend will help shape the Illini's momentum as they prepare for the final stretch of the indoor season and the upcoming Big Ten Indoor Championships.

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)

*- Converted score for flat track

Illinois Women's Track and Field Debuts at #1 in First USTFCCCA National Rankings for Third-Consecutive Season

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.

Pelkmans, Tamir Both Earn Two B1G Weekly Honors

The Big Ten announced on Wednesday (Jan. 28) that Luuk Pelkmans and Romi Tamir each won Big Ten Indoor Field and Freshman of the Week honors.

The last Illini woman to win Big Ten Indoor Field Athlete of the Week was Sophia Beckmon on Jan. 14, 2026, and the last freshman of the week honor was nearly a year ago with Lucie Kienast on Jan. 29, 2025. Tamir is the first one to win them both in the same week in program history.

The last Illinois man to win Big Ten Indoor Field Athlete of the Week was Jip de Greef on Jan. 29, 2025. Pelkmans is the first Illini man to earn B1G Freshman of the Week honors and, naturally, the first to win both in the same week.

Pelkmans honors come on the heels of his school record breaking heptathlon with a score of 6,127 points. That mark is also the NCAA lead, No. 2 score in the world currently and the second-best score by a Dutch heptathlete all time.

Tamir earned these honors for her new UI Armory record triple jump of 13.50m (44-3 1/2) which shattered Yvonne Mensah's 19-year-old UI Armory record of 13.30m (43-7 3/4) set back in 2007. Her mark is also the No. 2 triple jump in the nation for the 2026 season so far.