CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The Western Michigan track and field team wrapped up the 2016 Illinois Twilight meet, taking fourth place at the University of Illinois late Saturday night.

The Broncos scored in several events on the day, but just missed out on winning a few and finished the night with 78 points to tie Marquette. Hosts Illinois claimed the top spot with 146 points, followed by Eastern Illinois in second with 131 and Illinois State with 86. WMU finished ahead of the remaining 10 teams in the field. 

Sophomore sprinter Ayiana Gaines ran in the 400-meter hurdles for the first time this season and finished in second place after a personal-best time of 1:02.36 to claim eight points in the event. Also scoring was WMU's Keyera Lige in fifth at 1:04.33 and freshman Allison Hufnagel at 1:05.26 in seventh. Gaines also scored in the 100-meter dash, taking sixth overall and fifth collegiately with a time of 12.27 seconds.

Gaines was also a part of the 4x100-meter relay that ran its fastest time of the season. She was joined by Sarita Dotson, Naiomi Dulaney, and Artia Gunn to run a time of 46.18 seconds, good enough for third overall at the meet.

Senior Diajah Ruffin broke 57 seconds in the 400-meter dash and took third overall with a time of 56.79 seconds to earn another six points. Davonne Bolden claimed eighth overall with a time of 57.53 seconds.

In the field events Kirstie Wieber and Reagan Engstrom both scored in the pole vault. Wieber finished tied for second after reaching a height of 3.55m (11' 7.75"). Engstrom finished fifth claiming four points and helping WMU earn 11 in the event after reaching 3.40m (11' 1.75").

Junior Jade McKnight scored in both the triple jump and the long jump. In the triple jump she took third overall with a jump of 11.65m (38' 2.75"). McKnight took fifth in the long jump after just breaking the 18-foot mark at 5.49m (18' 0.25"). Ruffin also scored in the triple jump after tying for fourth place with a jump of 11.55m (37' 10.75").

Freshman Riley Wilhelm finished eighth overall and sixth collegiately in the discus after throwing 40.46m (132' 9"). Alex Ferguson also claimed a point after throwing 39.92m (131'). Junior Kara Craig finished off teh field events by taking seventh overall and sixth collegiately in the javelin after throwing 34.55m (113' 4").

Western Michigan splits up next week and heads to the famed Drake Relays and the Hillsdale Relays.