CHICAGO (Feb. 13, 2025) - UIC is set to compete in its seventh and eighth meets of the 2024-25 indoor track and field season this Friday and Saturday, at The Chicagoland Championships hosted by North Central College and The Big Meet hosted by Grand Valley State. The Chicagoland Championships comprises various teams from the Chicago area and is being held for the first time since 2017, while The Big Meet is one of the largest meets in the Midwest.
 
MEET INFORMATION - THE CHICAGOLAND CHAMPIONSHIPS HOSTED BY NORTH CENTRAL COLLEGE
 
Friday, Women's division - Field events will begin at 3:00 p.m. (CT), with running events set to begin at 3:00 p.m. (CT).
 
Saturday, Men's division - Field events will begin at 10:30 a.m. (CT), with running events set to begin at 10:30 a.m. (CT).
 
The event will take place at the North Central College Recreation Center (440 S Brainard St, Naperville, IL 60540).
 
 
MEET INFORMATION - THE BIG MEET HOSTED BY GRAND VALLEY STATE
 
Friday - Field events will begin at 10:30 a.m. (CT), with running events set to begin at 7:30 a.m. (CT).
 
The event will take place at the Kelly Family Sport Center (10945 Laker Village Dr, Allendale, MI 49401).
 
 
FLAMES TO WATCH - THE CHICAGOLAND CHAMPIONSHIPS
 
Women

• Senior Nyarai Terry (Chicago, Ill./Thorton) will compete in the 60m hurdles, an event she currently ranks first all-time in school history.
• Sophomore Ava Maglaya (Romeoville, Ill./Romeoville) will compete in the triple jump, an event she holds the fifth best mark for in school history.
• Junior De'Yana Franco-Daye (Roscoe, Ill./Guilford) will compete in the high jump, an event she currently has the sixth furthest mark in school history.

Men

• Senior Max Rivera (Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley) will be competing in the 60m, an event he holds the school record for.
• Freshman Nikolas Norton (Chicago, Ill./St. Rita) will also compete in the 60m, he ranks the fifth in school history in the event.
• Sophomore Theodore Cunningham (Bloomington, Ill./Bloomington) will compete in the mile. Cunningham currently has the fifth best time for this event in school history.

 
FLAMES TO WATCH - THE BIG MEET
 
Women

• Graduate student Alessia Sarussi (La Grange, Ill./Lyons Township) will compete in the mile, an event she currently holds the school record for.
• Senior Daniela Martinez (Chicago, Ill./Lane Tech) will compete in the 3000m, an event she holds the best time for in school history.

Men

• Senior Paul Sackman (Lincolnwood, Ill./Niles West) will be competing in the 200m, an event he holds the second best time for in school history.
• Senior Luke Malone (Plain City, Ohio/Jonathan Adler) will compete in the 3000m, he ranks the fourth in school history in the event.

 
BLUE DEMON ALUMNI CLASSIC RECAP

• The Flames competed in their sixth meet of the 2024-25 indoor campaign in the Blue Demon Alumni Classic, setting several all-time performances.
• Nikolas Norton sprinted to a fourth place finish in the 60m with a time of 6.92, moving to 5th All-Time in UIC history.
• Amare Harris clocked 49.89 in the 400m, securing a sixth place finish.
• Nathaniel Williams placed eighth in the Triple Jump with a mark of 13.28m.
• Alessia Sarussi took second place in the 800m with a time of 2:10.49, ranking second All-Time in UIC history.
• Praise Oyebanji followed in fifth place, finishing in 2:12.30.
• Chinenye Ifeajekwu ran 57.97 in the 400m, earning fourth place and moving to sixth All-Time in UIC history.
• Mia Maglaya secured fifth place in the Triple Jump with a mark of 10.88m, ranking seventh All-Time in UIC history.

 
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For more information on UIC's track & field and cross country programs, fans are encouraged to visit UICFlames.com, or follow the Flames on social media through X (@UIC_XCTF or @UICFlames) and Instagram (@UIC_XCTF or @uicflames).