University of Illinois
NCAA West Preliminaries
Illini Track and Field Enters 27 to NCAA West Preliminaries
May 26, 2026 | Women's Track & Field, Men's Track & Field
PREVIEW
| NCAA West Preliminaries | |
|---|---|
| Date | Wednesday-Saturday (May 27-30) |
| Location | John McDonnell Field, Fayetteville, Ark. |
| Meet Information | Live Results // Championships Central |
| Watch (ESPN+) | Day 1 // Day 2 // Day 3 // Day 4 |
| Performance Lists | Men // Women |
| Shop | Fighting Illini Store |
| Social Media | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook |
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The No. 12 women's and No. 21 men's track and field teams are ready for the NCAA West Preliminaries on Wednesday-Saturday (May 27-30) in Fayetteville, Ark. 27 athletes (15 women and 12 men) will don the Orange and Blue in Arkansas with hopes of punching their ticket to the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
There are already five Illini qualified to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the combined events group three men and two women: Jip de Greef, Andreas Hantson, Luuk Pelkmans, JaiCieonna Gero-Holt and Meagan Humphries.
Sophia Beckmon aims to qualify to her third-straight outdoor national championship after she got fourth place in both the long jump and 100m dash a couple weeks ago at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships. Elizabeth Ndudi was one centimeter away from becoming the Big Ten long jump champion as well so she will aim to qualify to her first outdoor national championship.
Phethisang Makhethe continues to be consistent for Illinois in the hammer throw as she's coming off her second-consecutive silver medal at the outdoor conference meet. Freshman Siun Quinn had an impressive debut in the high jump at Big Tens as she earned bronze alongside Rose Yeboah's silver medal in the event. Katharina Graman is coming off a silver medal as well in the triple jump.
On the men's side a freshman won the high jump in Jonathan Kapitolnik with a clearance of 2.21m (7-3) to be seeded No. 5 in the west prelims. Viktor Morozov was the team's other medalist at the Big Ten Championships as he earned silver in the triple jump.
NCAA WEST PRELIMINARIES ENTRIES
WOMEN (15 across 10 events)
#2 long jump – Sophia Beckmon, 6.79m (22-3 1/2)
#5 triple jump – Katharina Graman, 13.50m (44-3 1/2)
#6 hammer throw – Phethisang Makhethe, 68.73m (225-6)
#7 high jump – Rose Yeboah, 1.86m (6-1 1/4)
#9 high jump – Siun Quinn, 1.85m (6-0 3/4)
#9 pole vault – Mia Morello, 4.50m (14-9)
#10 hammer throw – Jordan Koskondy, 67.54m (221-7)
#11 long jump – Elizabeth Ndudi, 6.47m (21-2 3/4)
#12 800m – Grace Kombetto (2:02.00)
#12 hammer throw – Oluwatomilayo Akintunde, 65.19m (213-10)
#19 javelin – Jane Roosimagi, 52.65m (172-9)
#19 pole vault – Anastasia Retsa, 4.33m (14-2 1/2)
#20 long jump – Katharina Graman, 6.39m (20-11 3/4)
#26 long jump – Romi Tamir, 6.34m (20-9 3/4)
#27 triple jump – Romi Tamir, 13.04m (42-9 1/2)
#27 high jump – Emma Haeggblom, 1.81m (5-11 1/4)
#39 3000mS – Kennady Anderson (10:18.80)
#39 shot put – Oluwatomilayo Akintunde, 15.61m (51-2 3/4)
MEN (12 across seven events)
#5 high jump – Jonathan Kapitolnik, 2.21m (7-3)
#11 triple jump – Viktor Morozov, 16.43m (53-11)
#11 pole vault – Cody Johnston, 5.52m (18-1 1/4)
#12 shot put – Jacob Cookinham, 19.22m (63-0 3/4)
#15 400m – Jackson Gilbert (45.47)
#15 pole vault – Brenden Vanderpool, 5.42m (17-9 1/4)
#15 pole vault – Gator Young, 5.42m (17-9 1/4)
#18 triple jump – Zavien Wolfe, 16.04m (52-7 1/2)
#26 1500m – Pol Molins (3:39.26)
#35 pole vault – Cade DeWitt, 5.24m (17-2 1/4)
#44 discus – Reece Ihenacho, 55.74m (182-10)
#48 shot put – Alex Sohn, 17.81m (58-5 1/4)
