Newcomers provide impressive wins at Arkansas Invitational

FAYETTEVILLE – Razorback newcomers delivered impressive victories during the Arkansas Invitational held Friday at the Randal Tyson Track Center.

Devyn Wright, the 2025 NAIA Outdoor 400m champion, produced the second fastest 600m time in UA history with a 1:16.45 victory over TJ Tomlyanovich (1:16.59). Steven McElroy led the field through 200m in 23.68 while Razorback Julian Carter had the leading split of 49.03 at 400m. Wright split 24.13 and 49.59, then closed with a 26.86 for the win.

Wright generated the second fastest 600m in the Arkansas Invitational, third best time in the Tyson facility, and fourth best time by a collegian this season. Chris Bailey set the UA, meet and facility record of 1:15.18 in 2023.

Abraham Johnson set a career best of 52-4.75 (15.97) to win the triple jump. The mark currently ranks seventh among collegians this season.

Brian Masai won the mile in a career best 4:00.20 with teammate Ernest Cheruiyot runner-up with a career best of 4:01.94. The field included Jack Williams (4:09.07) and James Sankei (4:09.71) in seventh and eighth place.

Sankei later placed third in the 3,000m with an 8:08.80 in his debut at that event distance.

Rivaldo Marshall claimed the 1,000m in 2:22.45 ahead of teammate Owen Logorodi runner-up in 2:23.04. Dawson Welsh (2:24.73) and Josh Rammage (2:24.81) completed a 1-4 sweep in placing third and fourth.

Vashaun Vascianna ran 7.63 in the 60m hurdles semifinal, the fifth fastest time in the world this season, while teammate Abdoul Sy-Savane generated a time of 7.68 that ranks him No. 7 on the UA all-time list.

The time by Vascianna is the fastest ever in the prelims of the Arkansas Invitational and third fastest overall in the meet’s history. Sy-Savane finished second in the final with a 7.78.

Jordan Pierre posted a 33.24 as runner-up in the 300m while Dapriest Hogans placed third in the 400m in 47.31. Joshua Blakely cleared 6-8.75 (2.05) to place fourth in the high jump.

Pierre anchored the Razorbacks to a 3:09.78 victory in the 4 x 400m relay over Iowa’s 3:10.73. The Arkansas line-up included Hogans (47.40), Wright (46.85), Carter (47.06), and Pierre (48.47).