High jump bronze for Maria Arboleda at SEC Outdoor

AUBURN – The Razorback tandem of Maria Arboleda and Heidi Hudson teamed up for 12.5 Arkansas team points on the second day of the SEC Outdoor Championships hosted by Auburn.

Through three finals involving Arkansas, the Razorbacks are currently in 13th place. With eight of 21 finals scored Alabama leads with 62.5 points followed by Florida (32), Texas A&M (24.5), and Georgia (22).

In Friday prelim races, Arkansas advanced a pair of Razorbacks to the 400m final on Saturday, joining the five entries who advanced Thursday in the 800m (3) and 400m hurdles (2).

Arboleda matched her bronze medal from SEC Indoor with a clearance of 6-0.5 (1.84) that ranks her No. 4 on the UA all-time list. Hudson placed tied for seventh with a 5-9.25 (1.76) clearance that earned 1.5 points.

Hudson cleared 5-9.25 (1.76) on her third attempt, then missed one attempt at 5-11.25 (1.81). Then she moved over to the second flight of the long jump.

An outdoor career best of 21-1.5 (6.44) placed Hudson fourth in the long jump and moved her to No. 3 on the UA all-time list.

Kaylyn Brown led the 400m prelim field with a facility record of 49.96, which is a season best for her and ranks fourth best in the world this season. The previous facility record at Hutsell-Rosen Track was 50.98 set in 2011 by Natasha Hastings.

Joining Brown in the final was Sanaria Butler, who won another heat in 50.89. Amirah Sharpe (52.00) placed third in the heat with Brown while Arianna Sharpe (52.69) finished fourth in another heat.

Simone Ballard finished fourth in a prelim heat of the 100m hurdles with a time of 13.12 (+0.7) while Gabriella Cunningham registered a career best of 13.25 (+0.6) in placing sixth in another heat.

Madeleine Gear clocked 4:24.05 to place fourth in a heat of the 1,500m while Olivia Pielemeier placed seventh in another heat in 4:30.41.