Elite fields featured in Razorback Invitational

FAYETTEVILLE – This year’s edition of the Razorback Invitational features 16 teams and loaded fields across the board. Competition begins on Friday and concludes on Saturday at Randal Tyson Track Center.

Teams entered in the high caliber meet include six squads from the SEC: Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, LSU, Ole Miss, and Texas A&M. Additional teams include Arizona State, Baylor, BYU, Florida State, Iowa, Iowa State, Oklahoma State, Oregon State, Stanford, and USC.

Live streaming of the Razorback Invitational will start at 6 p.m. on Friday and 11 a.m. on Saturday via SEC Network +.

Friday, January 27: steam link

Saturday, January 28: stream link

“This meet includes 16 of the best programs in the U.S.,” said Arkansas women’s head coach Lance Harter. “It’s exceptional and every event has a premium in performance capability. The field events are going to be outrageous and the seed marks among the track events displays the quality of the individuals who are here this weekend.

“The collegians who are going to be able to penetrate the NCAA Indoor in Albuquerque are here this weekend. We’re trying to make sure our young people and newcomers have been fairly warned they’re going to jump right into the fire when it comes to competition.”

In addition, professionals competing at the Razorback Invitational include recent Bowerman winner Abby Steiner in the 400m along with Bowerman finalist Anna Hall, competing in the 400m, 60m hurdles, and high jump.

Delilah Muhammad, Olympic and World Championships gold medalist in the 400m hurdles, competes in the 200m while Shamier Little, World Championships silver medalist in the 400m hurdles, is racing in the 400m.

Initial plans for Razorback Britton Wilson this weekend included racing in the 800m after setting a collegiate record in the 600m at the Arkansas Invitational to open the season. However, a recent illness may change those plans.

“Right now, the jury is out,” Harter noted. “Unfortunately, Britton got ill this week with a virus. So, I don’t know if that will change the race plan for this week. It’s yet to be determined.”

A feature race on Friday is the distance medley relay. Potent teams lining up for the event include Stanford, Oklahoma State, Florida, BYU, Arkansas, Kentucky, Florida State, and Oregon State.

“The Razorback Invitational has been a birthing for the DMR nationally,” said Harter. “The race has a dozen teams lined up. There are at least seven or eight teams that can produce times to qualify for NCAA Indoor. I wouldn’t be surprised if the collegiate record is broken this weekend, but it won’t be us. It should be a great race.”

The collegiate record of 10:50.98 set by Tennessee at the 2009 NCAA Indoor Championships was threatened last year by Arkansas, twice.

During the 2022 Razorback Invitational, the UA squad won in a meet record of 10:51.63, which broke the Arkansas record of 10:51.89 set in 2015. Then the Razorbacks improved the time to 10:51.37 in claiming the national championship. Those pair of times rank second and third on the collegiate all-time list.

A featured event for the Razorbacks includes the mile where Lauren Gregory races in the final section with Arkansas alum Logan Jolly along with current teammate Mary Ellen Eudaly, who won the mile at the Arkansas Invitational.

Also in the mile field are Taylor Roe of Oklahoma State, Cailie Logue of Iowa State, and Stanford’s Julieete Whittacker. Roe is the defending NCAA Indoor champion at 3,000m with Gregory the bronze medalist in that race.

The 400m field features current collegiate leader in USC’s Bailey Lear along with defending NCAA Indoor and Outdoor champion Talitha Diggs of Florida. They will square off in the final section along with Arkansas’ Rosey Effiong. Razorbacks in the 400m field include Amber Anning, Paris Peoples, Ashanti Denton, Nickisha Pryce, and Aaliyah Pyatt.

Later in the meet a combination of those Razorbacks will team up in the 4 x 400m relay. Arkansas is the current collegiate leader this season and defending NCAA and SEC champions. The final section of the 4 x 400m relay includes Florida, LSU, Arkansas, and Texas A&M.

Amanda Fassold makes her indoor season debut with the Razorbacks in the pole vault. Outdoors last season Fassold claimed the SEC title and was a silver medalist at the NCAA Championships.

Joining Fassold among a field of 31 vaulters are teammates Kaitlyn Banas, Bailee McCorkle, Marin Chamberlin, and Grace Ridgeway.

Contesting the pentathlon on Friday for Arkansas is newcomer Madison Langley-Walker, who has a career best of 3,938 points, along with freshmen Kessiah Bemis and Macy Owens. Competing at Oklahoma last season, Langley-Walker placed fourth in the Big 12 pentathlon and also finished fourth in the high jump.

Professionals competing in the meet, with Arkansas alums in bold: