Razorbacks add 11 in fall signing class, trio joins UA in January

FAYTETTEVILLE – Arkansas’ fall signing class for women’s track and field includes 11 new additions to the defending national championship program, with three of the newcomers available in January for the 2025 season.

Razorback women’s head coach Chris Johnson became the initial first-year head coach to sweep the women’s NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships during the 2024 season, winning the pair of team title by five and four points, respectively, over Florida in both national championship meets.

“We feel the staff and myself have done a fantastic job and have been able to get the kids we needed and who will be able to come in here and help our program,” Johnson noted. “We’re very excited about them and they’re really talented.

“Obviously, we have to get them on campus and get them indoctrinated into how we do things at Arkansas. We feel like we have a really, really good class.”

Joining Arkansas for the 2025 spring semester are incoming freshmen in British sprinter Kara Dacosta and Jamaican hurdler Shania Myers along with senior hurdler Madison Fleming, who transferred from Memphis.

“Recruiting never stops and we’ll have some joining us in January while the others get here next fall,” said Johnson. “The three coming in next month can immediately help. Obviously, we have to see what kind of fitness they’re in while taking our time to develop them and get them ready to compete.

“We think they’ve worked really hard and they’ll come in here ready to go. They’re a great addition to the athletes we already have for this upcoming season. We’re looking forward to them coming and they should be here in a couple of weeks.”

Dacosta has a career best of 52.60 in the 400m, which ranks No. 9 on the 2024 World U18 list and No. 1 among British sprinters in that age group. She earned a silver medal in the 400m at the 2024 European U18 Championships and collected a bronze medal in the 4 x 400m relay at the 2024 World U20 Championships while advancing to the 400m semifinals.

Myers produced a career best of 13.08 in the 100m hurdles, which ranks No. 6 on the 2024 World U20 list and ranks fourth among Jamaicans. In 2022, her score of 5,006 points in the heptathlon ranked No. 6 on the World U18 list and was the leading score by a Jamaican.

Fleming has career best times of 8.17 in the 60m hurdles and 13.18 in the 100m hurdles. She won the 2024 American Athletic Conference Indoor title in the 60m hurdles and earned bronze in the 2024 AAC Outdoor 100m hurdles.

The Razorback class that joins the program for the 2025-26 season includes eight signees with an event range that includes sprints, hurdles, middle-distance, and jumps.

Within the 2025-26 group of eight are twin sisters Makenna (mid-distance) and Morgan Herbst (hurdles) from Carlsbad, California, along with hurdler Kaylin Edwards from Long Beach Wilson HS in California.

A trio from Texas includes sprinter Breagan Blowers of Holliday, high jumper Savannah Byers of Kingwood HS in Humble, and mid-distance runner Faith Murphy of Anderson HS in Austin.

The incoming group also includes sprinter Ryan Jennings from Erial, New Jersey, as well as hurdler and jumper Rowan Stroble of St. John’s HS in Johns Island, South Carolina.

“Athletes look at schools for a plethora of different reasons, and it helps to win a national title and in our case two national titles,” stated Johnson. “It also scares some of the kids, to be perfectly honest.

“Those that really want to be special and really want to be good, they embrace that. They want to be a national champion and be part of a national championship team. That can be daunting for others. We want the kids who want to be here and can live up to the standards.”

Blowers has career best times of 11.77 (100) and 24.51 (200) heading into her senior season. She has collected a trio of bronze medals in the UIL State 3A Championships with the 100m in 2023, along with the 200m and 4 x 400m relay in 2024.

Byers has cleared 5-10 in the high jump and has a best of 48.02 in the 300m hurdles. She finished sixth in the high jump at the 2024 UIL State 6A meet after placing second in the Region III-6A meet. The 5-10 height ranks equal No. 10 among U.S. preps in 2024 and is equal fifth among the junior classification.

Edwards earned a pair of gold medals in the California State Championships, winning the 300m hurdles in 2023 and being a member of the 4 x 400m relay in 2024. Edwards best in the 100m hurdles includes a wind-aided 14.11 and a wind-legal 14.20, while posting a 41.57 in the 300m hurdles, which ranked second best among sophomores in 2023.

Makenna Herbst won the 800m in the 2024 USATF National Junior Olympics and she finished second at the 2024 California State Championships. Makenna also placed third in the 800m at the 2024 USATF U20 Championships. Her career best in the event is 2:06.45.

Morgan Herbst has career best times of 41.26 in the 300m hurdles and 58.22 in the 400m hurdles. The 41.26 ranks No. 8 among U.S. preps in 2024 and second among juniors. The 58.22 ranks No. 4 and leads the junior class. She won the 400m hurdles in the 2024 Nike Outdoor Nationals after claiming the 300m hurdles title at the California State Championships.

In being named to the Track & Field News 2024 All-America team, Makenna ranked third in the 800m while Morgan ranked fourth in the 300/400m hurdles.

Jennings sports career best times of 11.33 (100) and 23.86 (200) heading into her senior season. The 11.33 ranks her No. 8 among U.S. preps in 2024 and third among juniors. She claimed gold in the 100m at the 2024 USATF National Youth meet along with silver in the 200m at the 2024 USATF National Youth meet and USATF National Junior Olympics.

Murphy earned a silver medal in the 800m at the 2024 UIL State 6A meet and also finished fourth in the 400m. In 2023, competing at the TAPPS 3A State meet, she captured gold in three events – 400m, 800m, and 1,600m. Her current best times include 56.66 (400) and 2:07.14 (800).

Stroble won gold in the 400m hurdles at the 2024 South Carolina 1A State meet along with silver in the high jump. She has cleared 5-8 in the high jump and has a best of 1:01.81 in the 400m hurdles.