The University of Arkansas women’s 400-meter crew flexed its muscle Thursday night at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Ore.
Arkansas had the top four times at Hayward Field, advancing to Saturday’s final with freshman Kaylyn Brown (49.82 seconds), senior Nickisha Pryce (49.87), junior Rosey Effiong (50.42) and senior Amber Anning (50.67).
Brown, Pryce and Anning all won their heats. Effiong was second behind Pryce in their heat.
It’s the first time the same women’s team has advanced as many as four to the 400 final at an NCAA meet.
Anning, Pryce and Effiong went 1-2-3 to lead Arkansas to the NCAA Indoor title earlier this year.
The Razorbacks capped Thursday night’s events with the top time in the 1,600 relay to advance to the final with junior Aaliyah Pyatt, Pryce, Effiong and Anning running 3:25.51.
Sophomore Ariane Linton, Effiong, Brown and Anning opened running events by setting an Arkansas record in the 400 relay, going 42.45 for the second-fastest time advancing to the final.
The Razorbacks broke the previous 400 relay school record of 42.65 set in 2019.
Ole Miss ran a school-record 42.22 for the top time in the semifinals.
Arkansas junior Rachel Glenn, a two-time NCAA champion in the high jump and winner indoors earlier this year, ran a personal-best 53.80 for the top time in the 400 hurdles and advanced to the final.
It’s the top time in the NCAA this season and ranks seventh on the all-time collegiate list and second on Arkansas’ career list behind Britton Wilson’s 53.08 in 2022.
Glenn’s previous top time was 53.94 she ran two weeks ago at the NCAA West First Round meet in Fayetteville.
Glenn will compete in the high jump Saturday, then run in the 400 hurdles final about 30 minutes later.
Arkansas’ women’s team scored its first two points of the meet with junior Sydney Thorvaldson taking seventh in the 10,000 in a time of 32:50.47.
Paityn Noe, a freshman for the Razorbacks, finished one spot out of scoring when she took ninth in the 10,000 in 32:57.29.
Florida leads the women’s standing with 26 points with six of 21 finals scored. The No. 1-ranked Razorbacks are tied for 26th, but have plenty of scoring opportunities Saturday.
The men’s decathlon was completed Thursday night and Arkansas seniors Jack Turner and Yariel Soto Torrado combined to score six points.
Through seven of 21 finals scored in the men’s events, the No. 1-ranked Razorbacks are tied for seventh with 11 points.
Southern California leads the men’s team standings with 19 points.
Turner finished fourth with a personal-best 7,963 points in the decathlon after taking third in the 1,500 in a personal-best 4:26.79. He had the third-fastest time in the 110 hurdles at 14.27, threw the discus 135 feet, 3 inches, cleared 15-5 1/2 in the pole vault and threw the javelin 172-11
Yariel Soto Torrado moved from 10th to finishing eighth with 7,804 points after he took first in the 1,500 in a personal-best 4:23.8. He ran the 110 hurdles in 15.11, threw the discus 134-4, had the second-highest clearance in the pole vault at 16-5 1/4 and threw the javelin 143-5.
Texas senior Leo Neugebauer won the decathlon for the second consecutive year and broke his own collegiate-record 8,960 points. His old record was 8,836 in winning last year’s NCAA title.
Arkansas senior Laura Taborda advanced to the 3,000 steeplechase final, running 9:48.48 for the second-fastest qualifying time.
Also advancing for the Razorbacks were sophomore Sanu Jallow with the fifth-fastest time in the 800 at 2:00.04 and senior Destiny Huven, who ran a wind-aided 12.72 in the 100 hurdles.
Arkansas senior Nia Robinson was 12th in the long jump final with a best mark of 20 feet, 7 inches.
Freshman Rachel Homoly cleared 13-7 1/4 and finished 18th in the pole vault for the Razorbacks. She missed three attempts at 14-1 1/4.
Linton finished 21st in the 100 (11.33) and 23rd in the 200 (23.37).
Arkansas State junior Selace Sampram took 21st in the shot put (50-7 1/2).
