Arkansas Picks Up Five Event Titles In Waco
WACO, Texas – The No. 4 Arkansas women’s track and field team made the most out of the summery weather conditions on Saturday afternoon in Waco, posting five event victories throughout the day at the Baylor Invitational.
Senior Daina Harper was the Razorbacks top performer of the meet as the All-American dominated the 400-meter dash in her outdoor debut to win with an outdoor PR of 51.85. Harper’s performance moved her up to No. 3 on the NCAA leader boards and up to No. 4 on Arkansas’ all-time bests list.
Additional Event Winners
In addition to Harper, two other Hogs represented the Razorbacks extremely well on the track, including Kiara Parker (100) and Payton Stumbaugh (100mH). Parker won the 100-meter dash with a wind-legal time of 11.40, narrowly missing out on her personal best by .01 seconds. Stumbaugh was the top performer of the day in the 100 hurdles, crossing the finish line in 13.17. Both Parker and Stumbaugh returned to the track later in the day and posted top-five finishes in the 200.
The Razorbacks picked another event title off the heels of Lexi Weeks in the pole vault. Lexi and Tori Weeks were the only two vaulters of the day to clear 4.48m/14-8 1/4 but Lexi Weeks was awarded first place due to her perfect series of clearances prior to both of them bowing out 4.58m/15-0. Their clearances at 14-8 1/4 also earned the pair a new facility record.
Arkansas’ 4-x-400-meter relay team closed out the meet in outstanding fashion as group of Harper, Brianna Swinton, Damajahnee Birch and Ceara Watson took down Baylor in front of its home crowd. The relay anchor, Watson held off a last minute surge by Baylor’s Leticia De Souza to earn the Razorbacks fifth and final victory of the evening.
Additional Notable Performances
• Taliyah Brooks jumps to No. 1 in the NCAA West and No. 2 in NCAA (6.50m/21-4) in the long jump.
• Desiree Freier vaults a collegiate PR of 4.38m/14-4 1/2, climbs to No. 5 in NCAA West and No. 6 in NCAA.
• Jada Baylark goes top-four in both the 100 (11.50) and 200 (23.64).
• Sunkietra McCallister under 55 seconds in the 400 (54.59) finishes fourth.
Arkansas’ distance crew will return to California next weekend to compete at the Mt. SAC Relays and Bryan Clay Invitational on April 14-15. The Razorbacks will return home to Fayetteville, Arkansas in two weeks when they host the John McDonnell Invitational on April 21-22.
Baylor Invitational
April 8, 2017
Clyde Hart Track & Field Stadium (Waco, Texas)
100 Meters
1. Kiara Parker – 11.40
3. Jada Baylark – 11.50 (w +2.7)
200 Meters (w +2.7)
3. Kiara Parker – 23.56
4. Jada Baylark – 23.64
5. Payton Stumbaugh – 23.65
9. Kelsey Herman – 24.09
400 Meters
1. Daina Harper – 51.85
4. Sunkietra McCallister – 54.49
7. Sydney Hammit – 55.01
8. Ceara Watson – 55.13
800 Meters
2. Alex Byrnes – 2:12.12
5. Leigha Brown – 2:15.05
3,000 Meters
6. Grace Taylor – 10:38.54
100 Meter Hurdles (w +2.6)
1. Payton Stumbaugh – 13.17
3. Kelsey Herman – 13.66
5. Leigha Brown – 13.77
8. Ashlee Moore – 14.30
— Taliyah Brooks
400 Meter Hurdles
3. Damajahnee Birch – 1:00.09
4. Brianna Swinton – 1:00.45
4-x-400-Meter Relay
1. Harper, Swinton, Birch, Watson – 3:36.76
High Jump
— Carmen Sitz
Pole Vault
1. Lexi Weeks – 4.48m/14-8 1/4
2. Tori Weeks – 4.48m/14-8 1/4
3. Desiree Freier – 4.38m/14-4 1/2
11. Rylee Robinson – 3.63m/11-10 3/4
Long Jump (w +2.6)
2. Taliyah Brooks – 6.50m/21-4
7. Payton Stumbaugh – 5.96m/19-6 3/4
9. Kelsey Herman – 5.87m/19-3 1/4
16. Ashlee Moore – 5.65m/18-6 1/2
Triple Jump
6. Jada Baylark – 11.74m/38-6 1/4 (w +3.7)
For more information on Arkansas track and field including in-meet updates, follow @RazorbackTF on Twitter.
