May 6, 2002

Milwaukee, Wis. - Senior Monieka Thompson (Chicago, Ill./Steinmetz) turned in one of the finest performances by a University of Illinois at Chicago track and field athlete this season as she captured three titles at the Marquette Invitational on Friday evening.

Thompson won the 400-meter dash (58.28), 800-meter run (2:17.52) and anchored the Flames' 1600-meter relay to a winning-time of 4:14.18.

The women's team also received second-place finishes from Kesha Billups (Chicago, Ill./Latin) and Simeko Washington (Chicago, Ill./Westmont). Billups turned in a time of 1:07.05 in the 400-meter hurdles, while Washington was runner-up in the shot put with a heave of 39' ¼'.

On the men's side, junior Joe Marren (Chicago, Ill./Mount Carmel) turned in a record-setting performance in the 1,500-meter run with a mark of 3:53.46.

The Flames also received runner-up finishes from both Joe Kepinski (Wadsworth, Ill./Warren) and Nick Gazis (Skokie, Ill./Niles West). Kepinski was second in the pole vault with a mark of 12' 11 ½', while Gazis was a runner-up in the discus with a heave of 136' 1".

UIC will be back in action this weekend, as they will travel to Indianapolis, Ind., to participate in the Horizon League Outdoor Track and Field championships.