University of Illinois Springfield track and field athlete Blake Jones became the first runner in program history to compete in the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field National Championships on Friday. Jones finished 12th overall in the 5,000m race.
 
Jones finished the race in a time of 14:17.70, placing him 12th in the 16-person national field. He was tenth halfway through the race, before slipping back three spots over the next couple of laps. Around the 3600m mark, Jones passed a runner to get back to 12th, and he stayed in that position the rest of the event. He finished three places ahead of his seeding heading into the race.
 
The trip to nationals continued a great school year for Jones, including him winning the 2020 GLVC Cross Country Championships.