University of Illinois Track and Field Recruiting Class of 2023
Track and Field Recruiting Standards
The Illinois men's and women's track and field 2023-24 recruiting class is one of the best classes the program has seen in years. 20 new faces are currently set to enter the program next year, 11 women and nine men.
SOPHIA BECKMON
Beckmon put the country on notice on April 28 when she recorded the second furthest girls' high school long jump in history at 6.80m (22-4). She was a mere inch away from tying the all-time record of 22-5. She's a well-rounded athlete with PR marks in the 100m (11.30) and 200m (22.99) that are both second in the state of Oregon and seventh in the entire country.
The long jump national champion has earned the honor of being the top recruit in the nation. Her long jump would have been the third furthest in the country this year had she competed collegiately while both her 100m and 200m times would rank inside the top-50.
OTHER WOMEN'S RECRUITS
Bára Sajdoková: Sajdoková is transferring in from Texas A&M and reunites with Kyprianou, she was originally signed by him at Georgia. She recently took eighth in the high jump at the SEC Indoor Championships and owns a PR of 1.91m (6-3)
Rose Yeboah: Yeboah hails from Ghana and has been competing for them nationally. She is an African Champion, All-African Games Champion, Commonwealth Games Champion and an African U20 Champion all in the high jump. She owns a PR high jump of 1.90m (6-2 3/4).
Taylor Beard: Beard is transferring in from Cincinnati to join the high jump squad. This past season she was The American Conference high jump champion both indoors and outdoors. She holds a PR mark of 1.88m (6-2).
Elizabeth Ndudi: Ndudi hails from France, but has been competing for Ireland this past year. In February she became an indoor national champion in the long jump with a mark of 6.28m (20-7 1/4). Her PR long jump is 6.42m (21-0 3/4), 100m is 11.88 and 200m is 24.43.
Iliana Triantafillou: Triantafillou hails from Greece and has been competing for them nationally. Last year she became a European U18 Champion in the pole vault with a mark of 4.05m (13-3 1/4). She currently has a PR vault of 4.30m (14-1 1/4) and ranks just outside the top-100 in the world.
Amber Simpson: Simpson is transferring in from Memphis and qualified for this past NCAA Outdoor Championship in the hammer throw. She boasts a hammer throw PR of 68.13m (223-6). She was The American Conference indoor weight throw runner up with a PR of 21.06m (69-1 1/4).
Phethisang Makhethe: Makhethe is transferring in from New Mexico State and owns a PR hammer throw of 65.40m (214-7). She is fresh off of a WAC Indoor weight throw title with a PR mark 20.61m (67-7 1/2).
Llyric Driscoll: Driscoll recently landed a triple jump PR of 12.99m (42-7 1/2) to win the Virginia state title in the event. The Chesapeake native notched PRs of 8.23 in the 55mH, 8.82 in the 60mH and 6.70m (19-11) in the long jump.
Jordan Koskondy: Koskondy recently won the hammer throw at the New Balance Nationals Outdoor with a PR of 52.2m (171-3). It's the top throw in the state of Florida and the IMG Academy product holds a top-5 shot put in the state too with a PR of 13.43m (44-0 1/2)
Mabry Bruhn: Bruhn is the reigning Illinois three mile run cross country state champion with a PR time of 17:08.50. The Monticello native brings in PRs of 11:01.40 in the 3200m and 17:17.43 in the 5000m
MEN'S RECRUITS
Cody Johnston: C. Johnston has had a busy month since May 25th. On that date he vaulted the countries third highest pole vault at 5.33m (17-6), the top mark in Indiana. Since then, he won himself a state title on June 2, won the Midwest Meet of Champions on June 10 and took the crown at the New Balance Nationals a week later.
Kamyren Garrett: Garrett is transferring in from Kansas State to join the jumps crew. At Kansas State he posted PR marks of 2.17m (7-1 1/2) in the high jump and 6.51m (21-4 1/4) in the long jump. His high jump PR earned him a fourth place finish at the 2022 Big 12 Indoor Championships.
Jackson Marseille: Marseille is transferring in from South Carolina to join the jumps crew. At South Carolina he was a bronze medalist at the 2022 SEC Outdoor Championships in the high jump. He won that bronze medal with a PR clearance of 2.18m (7-1 3/4).
Alex Ornelas: Ornelas ended his high school career as a Texas state champion in the 300mH with a time of 36.30. That's the fourth fastest time in the state and sixth in the nation. He also owns a PR time of 51.91 in the 400mH that is the top Texas mark and fifth in the country.
Jackson Gilbert: Gilbert isn't straying far from home; the Urbana native is fresh off of a state title in the 200m dash. He boasts PRs of 47.18 in the 400m (first in the state) and 21.24 in the 200m (second in the state).
Alex Sohn: Sohn ended his senior season with an Illinois state medals in the shot put (silver) and discus (bronze). His shot put PR of 19.08m (62-7 1/2) ranks third in the state of Illinois and top-40 nationally.
Riley Johnston: R. Johnston is the elder brother to Cody and is transferring in from Indiana. At Indiana he posted a PR vault of 5.20m (17-0 3/4) and claimed eighth at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships.
Kyle Clark: Clark ran the state of Indiana's third fastest mile (4:13.59) and sixth fastest 3200m (8:59.98) in his final high school outdoor tenure. His mile time was posted at the Nike Outdoor Nationals meet where he placed 22nd. During the indoor season he ran the states' fastest 1600m time (4:16.08).
Javaris Ambrose: Ambrose threw the state of Illinois fourth furthest hammer throw [66.85m (219-4 3/4)] and fifth furthest shot put [18.64m (61-2)] in his senior season. He earned himself a bronze medal in the shot put at the IHSA State Championships. During the indoor season he posted the states' top weight throw, 19.38m (63-7 1/2).