Distance medley relay featured race at Arkansas Qualifier
FAYETTEVILLE – Hosting the Arkansas Qualifier on Friday inside Randal Tyson Track Center offers individuals and relay teams an opportunity to improve performances for upcoming conference meets and national championships.
A total of 36 schools will have portions of their respective teams competing. They include Alabama, Azusa Pacific, BYU, Central Arkansas, Central Missouri, Drury, Emporia State, Harding, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas City, Kentucky, Lincoln (Mo.), Memphis, Missouri Southern, Missouri State, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Oregon State, Paradise Valley, Pittsburg State, South Dakota State, Southwest Baptist, TAMU – Commerce, TAMU – Texarkana, Tennessee, UCLA, USC, Virginia, Washington, Washington State, and Wichita State.
A live stream of the meet begins at 2 p.m. on Friday with the start of the distance medley relays on SEC Network + (https://es.pn/3lFieKS). Live results will be available at this link: https://results.flashresults.com/2023_02-17_ArkQualifier/index.htm.
“The spearhead of the meet will be the distance medley relay,” noted Arkansas women’s head coach Lance Harter. “We will probably need to run two seconds faster than we have this season just to protect our place for the national meet.
“As we compete in the conference meet, we will have different combinations to maximize our scoring potential. The DMR is going to be very busy, and teams are coming from coast to coast to run it and challenge us.
Arkansas’ time of 10:56.73 from the Razorback Invitational is currently sixth best among the 12 teams that will qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships.
Racing in the distance medley for the Razorbacks on Friday will be Mary Ellen Eudaly (1,200m), Amber Anning (400m), Lainey Quandt (800m), and Lauren Gregory (1,600m).
Arkansas will be among a field of teams that include Kentucky, Oklahoma State, Oregon, and BYU in the distance medley relay. Oklahoma State is currently eighth with a 10:57.33 while BYU’s 10:57.60 is currently 10th best and Kentucky’s 10:58.26 ranks 11th. Oregon State (11:00.57) and Oregon (11:04.73) rank 13th and 16th heading into the weekend.
Another featured race for the Arkansas women is the 800m, where Britton Wilson will line up for the first time in this event. Joining her in the fourth section of the race is Razorback freshman Ainsley Erzen as well as pros Shamier Little and Shafiqua Maloney.
Additional Razorbacks in earlier sections of the 800m include Paris Peoples, Katie McCune, Carmie Prinsloo, and Chachi Gonzales.
“We’re experimenting a bit with some other events,” said Harter. “Britton is going to run the 800m, just to see what her strength is like and the exploration for that event is like for her.”
Wilson broke the collegiate record in the 600m to start her indoor campaign this season with a time of 1:25.16 and opened with a 51.14 in the 400m last weekend.
After a fall season playing with the Razorback soccer team, Erzen has set career best times in a pair of track events, improving upon her prep times of 59.04 in the 400m and 2:13.31 in the 800m.
Erzen posted a 1:32.10 in her debut at 600m to start the season, then lowered her 800m best to 2:09.08 the following week. During the Tyson Invitational last weekend, she clocked 56.79 in the 400m during the Friday portion of the meet and then registered a 2:06.91 in the 800m on Saturday.
Returning to action in the pole vault is Amanda Fassold, the current collegiate leader with a mark of 14-10.75 (4.54).
“Amanda Fassold took last week off and she will compete this week in the pole vault,” Harter added. “All of our vaulters are trying to improve their marks as they work on confidence and motivation for the postseason meets.”
With a clearance of 13-11 (4.24) Grace Ridgeway is currently 18th among collegians this indoor season with 13-11.25 (4.25) currently the 16th best mark.
Fassold and Ridgeway will be joined by teammates Kaitlyn Banas and Bailee McCorkle among a field of 25 entered in the pole vault.
“We’re doing some off events, but also giving kids that need another chance to qualify or protect their position,” stated Harter.
Daszay Freeman and Yoveinny Mota race in the 60m hurdles while Ackera Nugent and Ariane Linton compete in the 60m. The 400m field will include Ashanti Denton, Aaliyah Pyatt, Joanne Reid, Tiana Wilson, and Alexis Torns. Doubling in the 200m are Linton and T. Wilson while Torns will also triple jump.
The mile includes a crew of Razorbacks in separate sections. Racing in the third of three sections are Gracie Hyde, Heidi Nielson, and Claire McCune along with alum Logan Jolly. In the third section are Laura Taborda, Mia Cochran, Nyah Hernandez, and Adeotte Vaughan.
With a clearance of 6-0 (1.83) Sydney Billington is currently tied for 20th among collegians. The current mark at 16th is 6-0.5 (1.84) where four individuals are tied. The next height of 6-0.75 (1.85) has five people tied in the 11th position.
