Isabella Whittaker named Region Track Athlete of the Year

FAYETTEVILLE – An incredible display of sprinting by Isabella Whittaker in claiming the NCAA Indoor 400m title with an American and collegiate record earned her the South Central Region Track Athlete of the Year honor.

Whittaker produced a 2025 world-leading time of 49.24 in breaking the previous American and collegiate record of 49.48 set at the 2023 NCAA Indoor by Razorback Britton Wilson.

Closing out the meet with the 4 x 400m relay, Whittaker supplied an anchor leg split of 49.70 as the Razorbacks won with a 3:25.20. The relay leg by Whittaker and the winning time both rank No. 5 on all-time indoor world lists.

Whittaker also joined a select group of sprinters who have won the NCAA Indoor 400m and been on the winning 4 x 400m relay.

The previous sprinter to achieve the feat was Wilson in 2023 with her 49.48 400m win along with a world best 49.19 anchor on the Razorbacks world best winning time of 3:21.75.

NCAA Indoor | 400 & 4 x 400 relay sweep

Year School ATHLETE
2025 Arkansas Isabella Whittaker
2023 Arkansas Britton Wilson
2018 USC Kendall Ellis
2016 Texas Courtney Okolo
2015 Texas Courtney Okolo
2014 Oregon Phyllis Francis
2011 Texas A&M Jessica Beard
2007 South Carolina Natasha Hastings
2004 Texas Sanya Richards
2001 South Carolina Demetria Washington
1999 Texas Suziann Reid
1994 Seton Hall Flirtisha Harris
1991 Arizona State Maicel Malone
1986 Tennessee Ilrey Oliver (500m)