Razorbacks open indoor season with Arkansas Invitational

FAYETTEVILLE – A new season starts this Friday with the Arkansas Invitational at the Randal Tyson Track Center, and the Arkansas squad will feature plenty of new faces making their Razorback debut.

A live stream of the meet will start at 1 p.m. on SEC Network + (link) while live results are available through FlashResults (link).

The Arkansas Invitational starts at 11 a.m. with the men’s shot put contested in the Fowler Family Training Center portion of the indoor facility and the women’s high jump in the Tyson Center. Running events begin at 1 p.m. with races including distances of 300, 600 and 1,000m in addition to traditional 60, 200, 400 and 800m events.

A combination of newcomers to the Arkansas program arrived from the transfer portal as well as the traditional route from high school. The overall result for the Razorbacks is talent and depth across various event areas.

“We’re very excited as the transfer portal has been very friendly to us,” noted Arkansas women’s head coach Lance Harter. “I think we have some real nice additions to blend in with the vast majority of our team from last year that is returning.

“We’ve built a lot of depth and found some exceptional talent to join us. I know Coach Johnson is excited about the cadre of personnel he can take to the line in the sprints and hurdles.”

Britton Wilson, a sprinter and hurdler who was part of 10 Arkansas school records in 2022, will open in the 600m and race in the 4 x 400m relay. Also racing the 600m distance are freshmen Ainsley Erzen, who competed with Razorback soccer in the fall, Kessiah Bemis, and Chachi Gonzalez.

“We’ll get a look at where everybody is at, while not competing in primary events,” stated Harter. “Britton Wilson, for example, will race in the 600m. It’s a matter of blowing off the rust, and not necessarily in their primary event, to kind of ease into competition.

“Ainsley joins us after competing in soccer in the fall. She’s a great competitor, so we’ll see how rusty she is since she didn’t have a traditional fall like most middle-distance runners have, but she definitely had a great soccer season to contribute to the Razorbacks.”

Tiana Wilson will race in the 60m, which marks her first competition since an injury sidelined her at the 2021 NCAA Outdoor Championships. Joining her in the dash are Daszay Freeman, Joanne Reid, Ariane Linton, and Imani Carpenter.

“We know down the road Tiana is going to be a great asset again to the program,” said Harter. “She has recovered from an Achilles injury she suffered at the 2021 NCAA Championships. So, it’s been a 16-month recovery process and she’s looking better and better with every workout she completes.”

Ackera Nugent makes her Arkansas debut in the 60m hurdles, racing in a venue where she set the World U20 record during the 2021 NCAA Indoor Championships while competing with Baylor. Also racing in the hurdles are Bemis, Yoveinny Mota, and Madison Langley-Walker.

The 200m will feature Rosey Effiong, Amber Anning, and Nickisha Pryce along with Carpenter and Linton from the 60m. Competing in the 400m are Paris Peoples, Ashanti Denton, and Aaliyah Pyatt.

Isabel Van Camp leads a crew of Razorbacks at the 1,000m distance while January newcomer Laura Taborda headlines the Arkansas squad in the mile.

Joining Van Camp in the 1,000m are Carmie Prinsloo, Mary Grace Lansing, Lanie Meeks, LilliAnn Nunley, and Lanie Quandt. Also racing the mile distance are Mia Cochran, Mary Ellen Eudaly, Taylor Ewert, Nyah Hernandez, Gracie Hyde, Clair McClune, Heidi Nielson, Julia Paternain, Sydney Thorvaldson, and Adeotte Vaughan.

Vaulting for the Razorbacks this week are Kaitlyn Banas, Bailee McCorkle, Mackenzie Hayward, and Grace Ridgeway along with newcomer Marin Chamberlin.

In the long jump newcomer Langley-Walker joins Macy Owens and Georgia Brain. Sydney Billington returns in the high jump along with Alexis Torns in the triple jump.

Arkanas alums competing include Jada Baylark (60m), Taliyah Brooks (800m, 60m hurdles) and Shafiqua Maloney (600m) along with Razorback volunteer assistant Shamier Little (600m).

“Our men’s and women’s teams are a very united front,” said Harter. “Everybody is super excited that the indoor season is approaching quickly. If we can keep nerves under control in this first competition, we can gain some momentum.

“It will be exciting to see how our newcomers handle wearing the Razorback jersey. It’s a point of honor to put Arkansas across your chest. You inherit a lot of legacy and tradition to uphold. We look forward to those kids answering that expectation.”