Razorbacks add dynamic throws crew with three transfers

FAYETTEVILLE – Three transfers were announced by Arkansas men’s track and field on Friday. Joining the Razorbacks this coming season are a trio of throwers – Ralford Mullings, Rojé Stona, and Jordan West – who each set school records at their previous universities.

The three throwers will join an Arkansas program that recently announced the addition of throws coach John Newell. The enhanced throws group will also include current Razorback Ruben Banks, the school record holder in the hammer.

Mullings and West combined for 14 points in the 2022 NCAA Championships while Stona placed ninth after being a silver medalist in 2021. Mullings and Stona provide Arkansas with a pair of podium finishers in the discus in back-to-back years.

A bronze medalist in the discus at 2022 NCAA Outdoor as a freshman with Arizona State, Mullings produced a throw of 204-11 (62.46). During the Pac-12 Championships he claimed silver with a toss of 208-3 (63.47).

Mullings established a career best and Arizona State school record of 214-6 (65.39) in the discus to win the collegiate division of the Mt. SAC Relays. His shot put best of 59-6.25 (18.14) placed him fourth at the Baldy Castillo Invitational.

Mullings will be the fourth member of the current Razorback squad who is from Kingston College High School in Jamaica. He joins Carey McLeod, Wayne Pinnock, and Shakwon Coke from the tradition-rich high school.

In 2021, Mullings earned a silver medal in the discus representing Jamaica at the World Junior Championships.

West, who holds the Tennessee school record in the shot put for outdoor (66-8.5 | 20.33) and indoor (65-01.25 | 20.07) seasons, finished fourth in the 2022 NCAA Outdoor shot put and claimed the 2022 SEC Outdoor title, producing the same mark of 66-6.5 (20.28) at both meets.

At the 2022 NCAA Indoors, West placed sixth after earning a silver medal at SEC Indoors. In previous years, West collected a silver medal at the 2021 SEC Indoor and a bronze medal at the 2018 SEC Outdoor. With the discus, West placed fifth in 2021 and set a career best of 185-8 (56.59) that season at the Virginia Challenge.

The school record holder in the discus at Clemson, Stona claimed silver at the 2021 NCAA Championships in the discus (203-2 | 61.94) after finishing second in the ACC Championships (198-9 | 60.58).

This past season Stona collected silver in the discus at the 2022 ACC Championships, producing a mark of 200-3 (61.03). Stona established a career best of 213-7 (65.11) as runner-up in the 2022 Penn Relays, bettering his previous best of 213-2 (64.98) to win the Tom Jones Memorial at Florida.

After leading the NCAA East with a mark of 207-7 (63.28), Stona placed ninth in the 2022 NCAA Championships (193-1 | 58.85). Then he rebounded with a runner-up finish in the Jamaica Championships with a toss of 211-3 (64.40).

Stona started the 2022 outdoor season by winning the Texas Relays (197-10 | 60.31) and Florida Relays (198-11 | 60.63) on consecutive weekends. In the shot put, an indoor best of 63-6 (19.35) produced a bronze medal at the 2022 ACC Championships.