No. 3 Razorbacks host John McDonnell Invitational

FAYETTEVILLE – Arkansas hosts its first outdoor home meet of the season with the John McDonnell Invitational on Friday, April 21. Field events start at 10 a.m. and running events begin at 3:30 p.m.

Live results will be available: https://bit.ly/41HDfnE. Live stream on SEC Network+ will start at 3:30 p.m. (CT): https://es.pn/43Nk25M.

Following a prosperous weekend of competition in Florida and California, the Razorbacks are ranked No. 3 in the USTFCCCA national ratings index this week behind No. 1 Texas and No. 2 Florida. Also in the top five are Oregon and LSU.

In addition to a pair of world-leading times for Britton Wilson in the 400m and 400m hurdles, Arkansas ranks No. 1 in the 400m among event squad rankings that average the top four marks for a team. In the 400m the Razorbacks average is 51.02 over a 51.44 for Texas and 51.64 for Texas A&M.

Arkansas vaulters rank third as a unit with an average of 13-10 (4.22) while the 200m squad ranks fifth (23.10).

“This is only our third competition weekend for the outdoor season and essentially we’re behind when compared to our peers, who are already in their fifth or sixth week,” said Arkansas women’s head coach Lance Harter. “We gave our people a little more of a rest and an opportunity to recover post indoors for a couple of weeks.

“I think that freshens them up and gets them a little more hungry for some good momentum outdoors. We’re playing catch-up to some degree. The middle distance and distance group will race, for the most part, a race under their primary event and some will be making their debut.”

The Razorback pole vault crew will include NCAA Indoor champion Amanda Fassold, who finished runner-up at the Texas Relays earlier this outdoor season. Arkansas has also had a trio of section winners this outdoor season with Mackenzie Hayward (Texas Relays), Kaitlyn Banas (Pacific Coast Intercollegiate), and Marin Chamberlin (Mt. SAC Relays).

“All the vaulters will all be in action,” noted Harter. “We’re looking forward to a nice tailwind for them. This facility has always produced great pole vault marks. So, we look forward to that.

“If the wind dies down by the evening, it will be optimal for the distance group to put up some good marks.”

The majority of the Razorback sprint crew will split between the 200m and 400m while the middle distance and distance runners contest the 800m and 1,500m.

Teams competing include Allen CC, Arkansas Tech, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Central Missouri, Drury, Harding, Kansas, Kansas City, Little Rock, Missouri, Missouri Southern, Missouri State, Oklahoma Christian, Oral Roberts, Ozarks, Southwest Baptist, Tulsa, and William Jewell.

John McDonnell Invitational | Razorback Entries