No. 1 Razorbacks lead NCAA Indoor after first day

Shawn Price March 13, 2026

FAYETTEVILLE – No. 1 Arkansas leads the NCAA Championships through five finals on the first day at Randal Tyson Track Center. The Razorbacks scored 14 points off a runner-up finish in the distance medley relay along with a third-place effort in the 5,000m.

Brian Masia moved Arkansas from fourth to second on the final lap of his anchor leg in the distance medley relay. In splitting 3:56.52 over 1,600m, Masai delivered a silver medal performance as the Razorbacks posted a time of 9:21.42 behind the winning time of 9:19.95 by Northern Arizona.

Finishing behind Arkansas were Virginia Tech (9:21.69), Michigan (9:22.77), and Washington (9:25.43). The first three Razorback legs in the relay included Owan Logorodi (2:51.62), Devyn Wright (44.82), and Julian Carter (1:48.46).

Ernest Cheruiyot clocked 13:37.52 for third place in the 5,000m to pick up six points for Arkansas. He will race in the 3,000m on Saturday. New Mexico’s Habtom Samuel won the 5,000m in 13:36.58 while Villanova’s Marco Langon finished runner-up in 13:36.98.

In team scoring, the 14 points by the Razorbacks leads Kansas and Virginia who have 13 points apiece while Texas A&M follows with 12 and Kansas State has 11. In qualifying, Arkansas advanced seven entries in five events for Saturday finals.

Jelani Watkins advanced to the finals in a pair of events, breaking the UA record with a 6.46 in the 60m and coming very close to clipping the 200m UA record with a 20.11. Jordan Anthony set the UA record last season in the prelims of the NCAA Indoor with a 6.47. Wallace Spearmon, Jr. hold the UA 200m record at 20.10 from the 2005 NCAA Indoor meet.

Watkins and USC’s Garrett Kaalund race in the same section of the 200m both registered a 20.11 with Kaalund slightly faster at 20.105 to 20.106. Watkins ranks as equal No. 5 collegian and equal No. 4 American on the indoor all-time list.

In the 60m, Watkins won his section in 6.46 over a 6.51 for SEC Indoor champion Kanyinsola Ajayi of Auburn. Arkansas freshman Karabo Letebele finished fifth in the same heat with a 6.57 as he missed the final by 0.003 of a second.

On the all-time collegiate list for the 60m, Watkins ranks equal No. 5 as four sprinters share the collegiate record of 6.45 which includes Ajayi.

Razorback Jordan Pierre broke his own UA 400m record with a 45.01 as runner-up in the third section of the 400m that was claimed by Florida’s Justin Braun in 44.77. Wright raced in the fourth section and his 45.85 missed the final by 0.02 of a second.

Abdoul Sy-Savane came close to breaking the UA record in the 60m hurdles with a prelim time of 7.46. Omar McLeod set the UA record of 7.45 in 2015.

Also advancing the final as the last time qualifier was Vashaun Vascianna with a 7.54 while teammate Jerome Campbell didn’t advance with a 7.56. Auburn’s Ja’Kobe Thorp led the field with a world-leading 7.36.

Arkansas’ tandem of Tyrice Taylor and Rivaldo Marshall went 1-3 in the 800m to advance with times of 1:46.15 and 1:46.55, respectively.

Also racing in the 200m were Razorbacks Dapriest Hogans (20.71) and Tevijon Williams (20.94). The last time qualifier to the final was 20.66.

Razorbacks scoring | 14 points

5,000m 3rd Ernest Cheruiyot

DMR 2nd Arkansas

Razorbacks advancing to finals

60m Jelani Watkins

200m Jelani Watkins

400m Jordan Pierre

800m Tyrice Taylor, Rivaldo Marshall

60m H Abdoul Sy-Savane, Vashaun Vascianna