Razorbacks move to No. 1 in national rankings

Shawn Price February 6, 2023

NEW ORLEANS – Impressive performances by the Razorbacks this past weekend propelled Arkansas into the No. 1 position in USTFCCCA’s national rating index, moving up from No. 3 a week ago.

Collegiate leading marks established by the Razorbacks this past weekend in New Mexico included the 4 x 400m relay, a 3:01.09 school record, and triple jump by freshman Jaydon Hibbert, with a leap of 54-10.75 (16.73).

In addition, career best marks by a trio of sprinters in the 200m and three shot putters added to Arkansas’ tabulation in the ratings index and moved them ahead of last week’s No. 1 Washington, who is No. 2 this week.

Jordan West defeated two-time defending NCAA shot put champion Turner Washington and moved to No. 2 on the UA all-time list with a mark of 66-5.75 (20.26) and currently ranks fourth in the nation. Lance Lang led the Razorbacks in the 200m with a 20.47, which ranks No. 2 on the UA all-time list and is also fourth among collegians this season.

Wayne Pinnock moved into the No. 2 collegiate position in the long jump with a 26-7 (8.10) victory in New Mexico, a half inch ahead of teammate Carey McLeod, who ranks No. 3 in the long jump.

The rest of the top 10 includes Texas Tech, Texas, Nebraska, Tennessee, USC, Oklahoma State, Georgia, and Stanford.

Additional SEC schools include Alabama (14), Florida (15), Kentucky (17), Auburn (22), Ole Miss (23), South Carolina (24), Texas A&M (26), and LSU (27).

Arkansas currently leads four event rankings, which compute a four-person average per team. The Razorbacks lead the 60m hurdles (7.72), long jump (25-11|7.90), triple jump (51-8.75|15.76), and heptathlon (5,461 points).

In two other events, 200m (20.92) and 400m (46.62), Arkansas ranks second overall. In the shot put, the Razorbacks rank third (59-8.5|18.20), which the fourth mark coming from multi-event athlete Noah Swaby.

Arkansas will host the Tyson Invitational this weekend, February 9-10, while members of the distance group head to Seattle, Washington, for the Husky Classic.