No. 2 Arkansas Picks Up 12 NCAA Indoor Entries
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The No. 2 Arkansas women’s track and field team will have 12 opportunities to score next weekend in College Station, Texas, at the 2018 NCAA Indoor Championships as the Razorbacks try for their third NCAA title.
Previous Qualifier Numbers (NCAA Finish, Final Score)
• 2017 – 13 (Fifth, 32 points)
• 2016 – 12 (Second, 50 points)
• 2015 – 15 (First, 63 points)
• 2014 – 13 (Sixth, 30 points)
• 2013 – 9 (Fourth, 42.5 points)
• 2012 – 10 (Fifth, 25 points)
Arkansas will be led by seniors Taliyah Brooks (pentathlon) and Nikki Hiltz (mile) both of whom won Southeastern Conference titles in their respective signature events last weekend. In addition to the pentathlon, Brooks earned entry into the national meet in the long jump (No. 2) and the 60-meter hurdles (No. 11).
In addition to Brooks, junior Payton Chadwick also qualified for the national meet in multiple events currently ranked No. 10 in the 200, No. 11 in the 60 hurdles and No. 13 in the long jump. It will be the Springdale, native’s first time back on the indoor national stage since 2016, following a break last year for a medical redshirt.
A pair of freshmen, Janeek Brown (60-meter hurdles) and Morgan Burks-Magee will look to become first-time contributors for Arkansas at the national meet, following outstanding conference debuts. Brown finished as the runner-up in the hurdles off a program-record performance of 8.04, while Burks-Magee placed fourth in the 400 final after clocking the fourth-fastest time in program history 52.20 in the event prelims.
Arkansas will also return three pole vaulters to the national meet for the second-consecutive year with Desiree Freier, Tori Hoggard and Lexi Jacobus all in search of their fifth All-American certificates apiece.
The Razorbacks will open competition at the 2017 NCAA Indoor Championship on Friday, March 9 as the indoor season will conclude on Saturday, March 11.
Arkansas Qualifiers
60 Meters – 8. Jada Baylark, 7.22
200 Meters – 10. Payton Chadwick, 22.99
400 Meters – 6. Morgan Burks-Magee, 52.20
Mile – 8. Nikki Hiltz, 4:33.44
60 Hurdles – 7. Janeek Brown, 8.04 | 11. Payton Chadwick, 8.08
Pole Vault – 2. Lexi Weeks, 4.64m/15-2 3/4 | 3. Tori Hoggard, 4.54/14-10 3/4 | 6. Desiree Freier 4.39 14-4 3/4
Long Jump – 2. Taliyah Brooks, 6.57m/21-6 3/4 | 13. Payton Chadwick, 6.30/20-8
Pentathlon – 2. Taliyah Brooks, 4,442
For more information on Arkansas track and field including in-meet updates, follow @RazorbackTF on Twitter.
