No. 1 Arkansas captures 22nd NCAA Indoor Championship

FAYTTEVILLE – No. 1 Arkansas totaled 73.5 points to capture its 22nd NCAA Indoor Championship in front of 3,584 fans at Randal Tyson Track Center on Saturday. It marks the 43rd national championship for the Razorback men and it’s the 52nd NCAA team title for the Arkansas program.

“We talked about it being special, and it’s pretty special,” noted first year head coach Doug Case, who completed a sweep of SEC and NCAA titles this indoor season. “Tremendous effort by our athletes across the board. We scored in all 11 events we were entered in. That’s pretty special.

“We won a SEC title and a NCAA title indoors, all great things. We just have to keep the momentum going and try to have a great year outdoors and finish up really strong. That would be great.”

The national title for Arkansas is the fourth consecutive for the Razorbacks when the Tyson Center has served as host with two titles for the men (2013, 2026) and two for the women (2015, 2021).

This also marks the eighth national championship for Arkansas overall when hosting NCAA Indoor, with six titles for the men and two for the women.

Finishing behind the Razorbacks in team scoring were Oregon (40), Florida (26), Auburn (24), Kansas State (24), and Texas A&M (21).

A highlight for Arkansas came in the 800m with a 1-2 finish for Jamaicans Tyrice Taylor and Rivaldo Marshall for 18 team points. They received a Hog Call serenade from the home fans for the extraordinary performance.

“I think that broke it open,” Case said of the 800m. “At that point, as coaches, we know that may have been the turning point. After that we just felt it was ours.”

Taylor and Marshall made a strong moves on the last lap of the race and pulled away from the field for the 1-2 finish. Taylor won in a career best 1:46.00, which ranks No. 3 on the UA all-time list, while Marshall posted a 1:46.12 as runner-up ahead of a 1:46.44 for Penn State’s Allon Clay.

“We’ve been training together for a long time and talking about a 1-2 finish,” said Taylor. “To come out here and actually do it is a great feeling. To score 18 points for the team is a great feeling.

“We’re all a family together. In training we all talk to each other about winning and competing. Here we are doing it. It’s a dream come true.”

Jelani Watkins led Arkansas with 14 team points, placing second in the 60m and third in the 200m. His time of 6.48 in the 60m only trailed the 6.45 by Auburn’s Kanyinsola Ajayi, who won the SEC Indoor title with the same time and equaled the collegiate record again.

In the 200m, Garrett Kaalund of USC broke the collegiate 200m record with a 19.95 performance to better the previous mark of 20.02 set in 2018 by Elijah Hall of Houston. Florida’s Wanya McCoy finished second in 20.17 while Watkins placed third in 20.28.

Jordan Pierre broke the UA 400m record for the third consecutive race as he claimed his section in 44.85 after clocking 45.01 in the NCAA prelim. Alabama’s Samuel Ogazi won the second section in 44.57 for the overall victory with Florida’s Justin Braun runner-up in 44.67.

The final day of the NCAA Indoor Championships started with Scottie Vines contributing 5.5 points with a tie for third place in the high jump as he cleared 7-3 (2.21).

Ernest Cheruiyot placed fourth in the 3,000m with a time of 7:43.49. Originally, Cheruiyot placed fifth, but initial winner New Mexico’s Habtom Samuel was disqualified for impeding and the title went to Northern Arizona’s Colin Sahlman in 7:41.66.

Arkansas closed out the championship with a 3:03.98 to win their section of the 4 x 400m relay and placed fourth overall. The Razorback crew included Zyaire Nuriddin (47.51), Devyn Wright (45.17), Zander Cruzan (45.98), and Pierre (45.34).

Four points were scored in the 60m hurdles from Vashaun Vascianna (7.55) in sixth place and Abdoul Sy-Savane (7.58) finishing eighth. Auburn’s Ja’Kobe Tharp broke the collegiate and meet record with a winning time of 7.32, topping the 7.35 set in 2019 by Florida’s Grant Holloway.