Illinois’ women’s track team ran away with the Big 10 indoor championship in Bloomington, Ind., Saturday.
The Fighting Illini scored a record-setting 130 points, 41 ahead of runner-up Wisconsin.
As always, the Illini were led by former Olympian Tonja Buford, who defended her three conference titles in the 55 meters, the 55-meter hurdles and the 200 meters, and she also anchored the winning 4×400-meter relay team. Buford, a senior from Dayton, Ohio, was named athlete of the championship.
Tonya Williams of Norfolk, Va., made a big debut, finishing second to Buford in the three individual events to earn freshman of the year honors.
Carmel Corbett, a sophomore from New Zealand, won the pentathlon and placed second in the high jump.
The men, meanwhile, finished second to Ohio State in the Big 10 indoor meet in Madison, Wis. Anthony Jones won the 55 meters, Marko Koers won the 800 meters, J.D. Teach won the shot put and football wideout Scott Turner won the 400 meters.
Hoops victory: The women’s basketball team’s 92-70 victory over Michigan Friday night in Ann Arbor was a historic occasion. The Illini shot 56 percent from the field, the first time in 83 games they made more shots than they missed.
Mandy Cunningham scored 20 points, Lolita Platt 17 and Kris Dupps 16 for the Fighting Illini, who won back-to-back Big 10 road games for the first time since 1987.
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Illinois (12-13 overall, 7-9 Big 10) will shoot for its first .500 finish in six years this weekend, but it won’t be easy. The Illini play host to a pair of nationally ranked teams: Penn State Thursday night and Ohio State Saturday afternoon in the first Huff Hall basketball game since 1980.
Ailing Clemons: Illinois starting point guard Rennie Clemons missed practice Monday with a sore toe. An athletic department spokesman said Clemons might undergo precautionary X-rays on Tuesday, and his status for Wednesday night’s game against Michigan was undetermined.
Wrestlers qualify: Three Illini wrestlers qualified for the national tournament last weekend, but the wrestling team finished eighth in the league championships in Columbus, Ohio.
Sophomore Steve Marianetti of Northbrook finished third at 142 pounds, sophomore Charles Gary of South Holland was fourth at 150, and senior Jeff Monson of Lacey, Wash., was fifth at 190.