No. 1 Arkansas Finishes Second in College Station
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Top-ranked Arkansas women’s track and field placed second at Texas A&M’s Charlie Thomas Invitational with a score of 102. Entering the day scoreless the Razorbacks powered to the No. 2 spot off event victories in the long jump, pole vault, 200-meter dash and 4×400-meter relay.
Sophomore Taliyah Brooks was the first individual winner of the day finishing in first place in the long jump. The only competitor to mark a jump of 19 feet, Brooks’ best performance of the day 6.07m/19-11 came on her second attempt. The Wichita Falls, Texas native won the event by over a foot.
Elsewhere in the field, senior Megan Zimlich had an outstanding day in the pole vault clearing 4.19m/13-9 to match her personal best and claim first place. One of only two vaulters to make it past 4.09m/13-5, Zimlich maintained her focus to get up and over the final height on her last attempt. Her clearance earned her recognition as one of the 20 best collegiate vaulters this season.
2016 two-time SEC Runner of the Week Taylor Ellis-Watson captured the Charlie Thomas Invitational 200-meter title with a time of 23.25. Starting out in front from lane six Ellis-Watson fought off a surge by Aaliyah Brown of Texas A&M earning 10 points towards the Razorbacks’ team total. Ellis-Watson’s time moves her into the NCAA top five this season at 200 meters.
Micah Dennis and Alex Gochenour each picked up eight points for the Razorbacks with runner-up performances in the shot-put and 60-meter hurdles respectively.
The Razorbacks capped the weekend with a second place finish in the 4×400-meter relay. A quartet of Brooks, Daina Harper, Brianna Swinton and Ellis-Watson ran a season-best relay time of 3:34.45.
Arkansas returns to the Randal Tyson Track Center on Feb. 12-13 for the Tyson Invitational. Tickets are $5 for adults and youth 17-and-under get in free.
The Razorbacks will host the 2016 SEC Indoor Track and Field Championships on Feb. 26-27. All-session tickets for the event are now on sale. All-session ticket prices are $35 for reserved seating and $25 for adult general admission. Youth and general admission student tickets are available for $15.
Tickets will be available online, or by calling the Razorback Athletics Ticket Center at 800-982-4647. You can also visit the Ticket Center in person at 1295 S. Razorback Road, just east of Baum Stadium.
2016 Charlie Thomas Invitational Day 2 Results
Gilliam Indoor Track
College Station, Texas
60 Meters Prelims
Payton Stumbaugh (11) – 7.59
Kiara Parker (26) – 7.87
200 Meters
Taylor Ellis-Watson (1) – 23.25
Payton Stumbaugh (8) – 23.79
Brianna Swinton (15) – 24.28
Taliyah Brooks (16) – 24.35
Kelsey Herman (18) – 24.71
Kiara Parker (20) – 24.83
400 Meters
Daina Harper (7) – 55.11
Monisa Dobbins (12) – 55.62
800 Meters
Nikki Hiltz (4) – 2:09.06
Kailee Sawyer (8) – 2:10.13
Ceara Watson (12) – 2:13.25
Mile
Devin Clark (5) – 4:45.90
Annika Sisson (7) – 4:47.26
Therese Haiss (9) – 4:48.23
Sydney Brown (10) – 4:50.66
3,000 Meters
Samantha Mohler (3) – 9:48.45
Aubree Worden (4) – 9:50.11
60 Meter Hurdles Prelims
Kelsey Herman – 8.50q
Leigha Brown – 8.63q
Alex Gochenour – 8.64q
60 Meter Hurdles Finals
Alex Gochenour (2) – 8.44
Leigha Brown (6) – 8.78
4×400 Meter Relay
Arkansas A (1) – 3:34.45
Taliyah Brooks, Daina Harper, Brianna Swinton, Taylor Ellis Watson
High Jump
Leigha Brown (3) – 1.65m/5-5
Carmen Sitz (6) – 1.65m/5-5
Alex Gochenour (T7) – 1.60m/5-3
Pole Vault
Megan Zimlich (1) – 4.19m/13-9
Ariel Voskamp (3) – 3.94m/12-11
Ariel LaChance (7) – 3.94m/12-11
Rylee Robinson (10) – 3.79m/12-5.25
Long Jump
Taliyah Brooks (1) – 6.07m/19-11
Shot Put
Micah Dennis (2) – 14.40m/47-3
Team Totals
1. Texas A&M (20) – 144
2. Arkansas (1) – 102
3. Clemson – 93
4. Baylor – 66.60
5. UTEP – 64
6. Rice -52
7. Houston – 36
8. TCU – 33
9. Texas-Arlington – 30.20
10. Abilene Christian – 16
11. South Plains – 7
12. UTSA – 6
For more information on Arkansas track and field including in-meet updates, follow @RazorbackTF on Twitter.
