Collegiate record highlights Razorbacks impressive NCAA West performances
FAYETTEVILLE – Breaking the collegiate record in the 4 x 400m relay by 0.01 of a second finished off the NCAA West First Round meet hosted by Arkansas as the Razorbacks delivered a time of 3:21.92 to better the field by five-plus seconds.
For the weekend, No. 2 Arkansas advanced 13 athletes to Eugene in 14 events as they created 18 entries in the NCAA Championships.
Four Razorbacks will contest three events apiece in Eugene.
Ariane Linton | 100, 200, 4 x 100
Amber Anning | 400, 4 x 100, 4 x 400
Kaylyn Brown | 400, 4 x 100, 4 x 400
Rosey Effiong | 400, 4 x 100, 4 x 400
Kentucky held the previous outdoor collegiate record of 3:21.93 from the SEC Championships in 2022 when Arkansas set its outdoor record of 3:22.55.
Now the Razorbacks hold the indoor and outdoor collegiate records with times of 3:21.75 from the 2023 NCAA Indoor and 3:21.92 from the NCAA West. Arkansas ranks second in the world for 2024 behind a time of 3:21.70 by the United States at the recent World Relays.
Splits for the Razorbacks on the historic relay effort included 51.53 by Effiong, then a blistering 49.90 by Nickisha Pryce, and 50.46 from Brown. Anning finished off the collegiate record with a 50.03.
Texas and USC were in a tight finish behind Arkansas, placing second and third in 3:27.22 and 2:27.28.
Earlier in the meet the 400m crew generated the top four times in the NCAA West. Pryce led the group with a 49.93 followed by Brown’s 49.98. Effiong produced a career best of 50.11 that leaves her No. 5 on the UA all-time list. Anning won her heat in 50.19.
With four Razorbacks in the first heat of the 400m, Joanne Reid (52.10) and Aaliyah Pyatt (52.24) finished fourth and fifth.
Rachel Glenn advanced in an unique double event of the high jump (6-0.5|1.84) and 400m hurdles. Her collegiate-leading time of 53.94 set a career best as she moved to No. 8 performer on the collegiate all-time list.
USC’s Jasmine Jones, the previous collegiate leader at 53.98, had the second best time with a 55.45.
Arkansas started off the running evets with a 42.70 performance in the 4 x 100m relay, placing second in the first heat behind a 42.66 by Baylor. The Razorbacks time ranks No. 2 on the UA all-time list behind the school record of 42.65 from 2019. The Arkansas crew consisted of Linton, Effiong, Brown, and Anning.
Linton then advanced in the 100m with an 11.07 that moves her to No. 3 on the UA all-time list, just ahead of a 11.10 by Veronica Campbell. Linton improved her previous best of 11.31 from 2023.
In the 200m, with a windy 23.03 (3.4 wind), Linton placed third in her heat to secure an automatic advancement.
Destiny Huven clocked a wind-aided 12.81 to win her quarterfinal heat of the 100m hurdles. Huven has a wind-legal career best of 12.82 from the 2022 NCAA Championships.
Sanu Jallow cruised to a 2:03.75 to win her heat of the 800m while teammate Analisse Batista finished eighth in another heat with a 2:08.40.
Laura Taborda won her section of the 3,000m steeplechase in 10:00.44 to automatically qualify for Eugene while Mackenzie Rogers set a career best of 10:15.59 in placing sixth in the same heat and just missing advancing on time.
Sydney Thorvaldson advanced in a second event with a 16:04.22 to place fifth in the first section of the 5,000m. Mia Cochran placed sixth in 16:06.56 and just missed advancing to Eugene on time while Paityn Noe finished eighth in 16:18.50.
Qualifiers to Eugene | NCAA Championships
18 Entries, 13 Athletes, 14 Events
100 | Ariane Linton
200 | Ariane Linton
400 | Nickisha Pryce, Amber Anning, Kaylyn Brown, Rosey Effiong
800 | Sanu Jallow
100H | Destiny Huven
400H | Rachel Glenn
5,000 | Sydney Thorvaldson
10,000 | Paityn Noe, Sydney Thorvaldson
Steeple | Laura Taborda
4 x 100 | Arkansas [Ariane Linton, Rosey Effiong, Kaylyn Brown, Amber Anning]
4 x 400 | Arkansas [Rosey Effiong, Nickisha Pryce, Kaylyn Brown, Amber Anning]
High Jump | Rachel Glenn
Pole Vault | Rachel Homoly
Long Jump | Nia Robinson