No. 1 Arkansas totals 18 entries for NCAA Championships

SACRAMENTO – Wrapping up the men’s portion of the NCAA West Preliminary rounds at Sacramento State, the No. 1 Razorbacks advanced a total of 18 entries from 18 athletes in 11 events for the NCAA Championships in Austin on June 7 and 9.

The day started with a pair advancing in the discus as Rojé Stona hit an opening round toss of 215-0 (65.54). He will contest both the shot put and discus in Austin. Ralford Mullings, however, needed a mark in round three after two fouls. He hit a 202-7 (61.74) to finish fourth overall and comfortably advance as well.

With five Razorbacks in the triple jump, three advanced by placing 1-2-5. A fourth prospect of advancing to Austin missed the final spot by a quarter of an inch, or one centimeter.

Collegiate record holder Jaydon Hibbert bounded out to 55-2 (16.82) on his only attempt to lead the competition by nearly two feet. Teammate Ryan Brown occupied the runner-up position with a 53-3.75 (16.25). Carey McLeod, who already qualified in the long jump, registered a mark of 52-1.25 (15.88) to finish fifth.

Wayne Pinnock, who set a NCAA West meet record in the long jump, reached a distance of 51-3.75 (15.64) in the third round that had him in the 12th and final position for advancement. Then Colorado State’s Allam Bushara produced a mark of 51-4.5 (15.66) that moved him into the No. 11 spot and bumped Pinnock to No. 13. The fifth Razorback, John Baker, placed 21st with a 50-4 (15.34).

On the track, the 4 x 100m relay crew of Lance Lang, Connor Washington, Phillip Lemonious, and James Benson II ran 39.30 to finish fourth in the first heat of the quarterfinal and advanced on time.

The NCAA West meet record in the sprint relay is a 38.66 by Arkansas from 2015. It remains the record as the quickest time in today’s race was 38.82 by Arizona.

Arkansas closed out the day with the 4 x 400m relay advancing with a time of 3:04.09 as they placed third in the first heat and were seventh overall. The Razorback foursome included Brandon Battle (46.98), Benson II (44.45), Ayden Owens-Delerme (47.04), and Chris Bailey (45.47).

A 48.39 for Owens-Delerme led the 400m hurdle field with Texas Tech’s Caleb Dean next best at 48.43 as runner-up in the same heat. Baylor’s Nathaniel Ezekiel won the first heat in 49.04 over a 49.57 for Washington’s Cass Elliott. Those times represented the top four among the field.

Lemonious cruised through the 110m hurdles with a time of 13.45, which was third best overall. A 13.84 for Matthew Lewis-Banks placed 17th overall. The top five times were separated by 0.04 of a second.

Texas A&M’s Connor Schulman led the hurdle field with a 13.43 with Nebraska’s Darius Luff following at 13.44 in heat two. Behind the 13.45 for Lemonious in heat three was Houston’s De’Vion Wilson at 13.46 while Tech’s Dean had a 13.47 in heat two.

Bailey claimed the final time qualifier to Austin in the 400m with a 45.76. The overall leading in the 400m was a 44.65 by Arizona State’s Justin Robinson, who won the third heat that Bailey finished fifth in.

Washington produced a collegiate best of 10.28 in the 100m, placing 20th overall. Elias Schreml ran 3:50.24 for sixth in quarter final heat while placing 18th overall.

In the high jump Kason O’Riley cleared 6-10.25 (2.09) to place 22nd while teammate Tomas Ferrari made 6-8.25 (2.04) to tie for 38th.

NCAA Championships | Arkansas entries | 18 athletes, 18 entries, 11 events