No. 1 Arkansas Host Second-Annual National Relay Championships

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – No. 1 Arkansas is set to host the premier meet in collegiate track & field this weekend – The Second-Annual National Relay Championships set for Apr. 26-27 at John McDonnell Field. The meet includes 11 Power Five programs and will be highlighted by a relay only format Saturday morning that will be broadcast LIVE on the SEC Network.

The Razorbacks are one of nine Southeastern Conference teams ranked among the USTFCCCA top-25 and look to progress into the latter part of the outdoor season even stronger. Arkansas remained the No. 1 team in the South Central Region.

Head coach Lance Harter’s squad will be lining up against student-athletes from Baylor, Kansas, Kansas State, Miss State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Stanford, TCU, Texas, and Washington.

“Last year I think the initial relay concept with an open track meet basically served everybody’s needs,” said Harter. “This is that time of year where the 4×100-meter and 4×400-meter relays get to run all the time, but a lot of time for the middle distance runners to carry a baton is so rare that they really look forward to that opportunity.”

I think this whole meet concept is evolving, and i think we’ll get through it this year and then sit down and reevaluate to see if there are some things to improve it. Then, also have the flexibility that if we have an outstanding relay, be it a 4×100, 4×800 or 4×1500, we can allow them to go to Penn or Drake.” Harter continued.

Events to Watch
Along with the traditional events to watch listed below, the meet will also feature a 4×800-meter relay, 4×1500-meters relay, and a Sprint Medley Relay, all of which will be contested by the Razorbacks.

100-meters
Kiara Parker, a USATF finalist from a year ago in the event will back into the blocks for the 100-meters Friday sporting a season-best of 11.21 from the 92nd Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays this past March. The women’s 100-meters is set for a 4:25 p.m. CT start on Friday afternoon.

200-meters
Four of the top-10 athletes in the history of Arkansas in the 200-meters will be on display as Janeek Brown (No. 4), Kethlin Campbell (No.5), Kiara Parker (No. 6),  and Payton Chadwick (No. 7) are slated to compete in the deuce against a field that includes some of the best in the country. The women’s 200-meters is scheduled for Friday at 5:50 pm CT.

100-meter hurdles
Two-time All-American and school record holder Janeek Brown will be on display in the high hurdles, an event she holds a season-best of 12.91 in and a lifetime-best of 12.80. The 100-meter hurdles are set for 3:35 p.m. CT on Friday afternoon.

Pole Vault
Holding a historic tradition in the pole vault, Arkansas will field four vaulters in this weekends action, including indoor national champion Lexi Jacobus, All-Americans Tori Hoggard and Desiree Freier alongside Rylee Robinson.

4×100-meter relay
Arkansas’ sprint relay leads all entries at the meet in the event that features the No. 2 Razorback squad that enters with a season-best of 43.45. The 4×100-meters will take the track at 10:16 a.m. CT Saturday morning.

4×400-meter relay
No. 4 in the NCAA in the women’s 4×400-meter relay, Arkansas (3:30.37), leads the pack of teams that will field a relay at the National Relay Championships. The 4×400-meter relays will close out the meet on Saturday morning at 11:44 a.m. CT.