Razorbacks begin outdoor campaign at Texas Relays

AUSTIN, Texas – The 93^rd Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays will be a bit different than previous versions of the famed event as covid protocol has streamlined the proceedings this weekend for the visit by the Razorback women’s team. An abbreviated competition schedule begins Thursday, March 25, and runs through Saturday, March 27, at Mike Myers Stadium.

Live streams of the three-day meet are available through the Longhorn Network and ESPN app:

Live results will be available online: https://pttiming.com/event.php?mid=37&pt=schedule

A traditional four-day meet, the Texas Relays will not include a high school division this year. Relay races will be limited to just the 4×100 and 4×400 on the collegiate level while 200m and 400m races will be held instead.

After hosting seven collegiate meets during the indoor season, including the SEC and NCAA Championships, this marks the first road trip of the year for the Razorback track and field squad.

“We’re looking forward to leaving the state of Arkansas for a change,” said Razorback women’s associate head coach Chris Johnson. “Obviously, indoors, we were here the whole time. With our traditional schedule we open the outdoor season with the Texas Relays.

“So, we’re really looking forward to being there and they’re always gracious hosts. They provide an opportunity and atmosphere that we can get something done on our inaugural weekend for the outdoor season.”

This weekend marks the first outdoor meet for the Razorbacks since claiming the NCAA Championship team title in Myers Stadium during June of 2019.

“We had a great experience at Texas in the 2019 season, and that was our last outdoor meet,” noted Johnson. “So, we’re looking forward to starting where we left off at in that venue. If we can have as good of a season as we did in 2019 then everybody is going to be excited, especially Hog nation. We’re looking forward to getting started and hopefully we can bounce back off that mojo we had in 2019.”

The Arkansas women’s team will primarily have sprinters, hurdlers, and vaulters competing this weekend while including G’Auna Edwards in the heptathlon and Carina Viljoen in a pair of races, 800m and 1,500m.

Razorback vaulters competing include Nastassja Campbell, Mackenzie Hayward, Lauren Martinez, and Bailee McCorkle.

Arkansas sprinters and hurdlers include Jada Baylark (100, 200), Morgan Burks-Magee (400), Kethlin Campbell (200), Daszay Freeman (100 hurdles), Jayla Hollis (200, 100 hurdles), Shafiqua Maloney (400), Yoveinny Mota (100 hurdles), Paris Peoples (400), and Tiana Wilson (100, 200).

“Having individual events outside of the 100 and 100 hurdles is fantastic,” said Johnson of the 2021 Texas Relays schedule. “The relays are great, obviously, but it kind of takes away from the individual performances. This year, with the NCAA region size trimmed from 48 to 32, giving us one more week to focus on individual events is exciting and very much needed in this climate.”

The Razorbacks will race in the Invitational division of the 4×100 and 4×400 relays. The field for the sprint relay includes Baylor, Houston, LSU, North Carolina A&T, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, and UNLV. In the 4×400 relay the field includes Baylor, Houston, Kansas, LSU, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech.

“Adding the 4×100 relay for the outdoor season is exciting and we have to get the right pieces with the ability to get the stick around the track,” stated Johnson. “So that presents a challenge, but we are excited about that challenge.

“In the 4×400 we have a lot of moving parts and different scenarios we can put together, which is good from the depth part of it. We’re going to open up and see what order we want to run, which bodies we want to run, and see what is best for the team.”

Professional Razorbacks are also competing in various events to open their outdoor campaign. The group includes Taliyah Brooks (heptathlon), Janeek Brown (200m, 100m hurdles), Sparkle McKnight (400m hurdles), Sandi Morris (pole vault), Kiara Parker (100m) as well as Shamier Little (400m), who trains with Coach Johnson in Fayetteville.

Texas Relays Tickets

Tickets for the 93^rd Texas Relays are available through the following website: https://bit.ly/3tLjN8I

Fans are asked to do their part by wearing face coverings–even if they have already been vaccinated–and conscientiously practicing physical/social distancing, frequently washing hands, using hand sanitizer, and entering Gate 1 on the northeast corner of Myers Stadium.  All fans should keep a safe distance between their party and other fans while inside and outside of the stadium.

Health & Safety Measures for Fans: https://texassports.com/news/2021/3/12/texas-athletics-announces-safety-measures-for-2021-clyde-littlefield-texas-relays.aspx

Texas Relays Schedule | Arkansas entries