Razorbacks win relay, finish second twice on final day of Texas Relays

AUSTIN – A relay victory and a pair of runner-up finishes capped Arkansas’ effort at the 95th Texas Relays on hot Saturday at Mike A. Myers Stadium.

The Razorbacks won the University 4 x 400m relay in 3:29.96 with a foursome of Ashanti Denton, Nickisha Pryce, Tiana Wilson, and Aaliyah Pyatt. Pryce moved Arkansas into the lead for good on her carry as she and Denton combined for a split of 1:44.36 on the first two legs.

After a 54.04 from T. Wilson, Pyatt delivered a 51.56 anchor split to hold off any challenges. Howard finished second in 3:21.24 while Texas placed third in 3:31.28.

In the University Invitational 4 x 400m relay, the Longhorns prevailed with a 3:23.27 over a 3:24.45 for the Razorbacks while Ohio State (3:28.43) finished third. They were followed by UCLA (3:30.70), Georgia (3:31.35), LSU (3:31.80), Baylor (3:33.34), Kentucky (3:36.63), and Texas Tech (3:40.97).

The Arkansas relay crew included Paris Peoples, Rosey Effiong, Joanne Reid and Britton Wilson. The combination split from Peoples and Effiong over the first two laps of the race was 1:43.20 and trailed Texas (1:42.17). Reid split 51.57 and moved the Razorbacks into the lead briefly.

Texas held an advantage going into the anchor leg (2:33.80 to 2:34.77). A 49.68 split by B. Wilson was covered by a 49.47 anchor from Longhorn Rhasidat Adeleke.

The time by Arkansas ranks third best on the UA all-time outdoor list behind 3:22.55 and 2:23.69 that were set in 2022.

NCAA Indoor champion Amanda Fassold had a strong start in the University Invitational pole vault. She made first attempt clearances on her first four bars – 13-7.25 (4.15), 13-11.25 (4.35), and 14-7.25 (4.45). Three misses at 14-9 (4.50) placed her second in the competition to Rugters’ Chole Timberg, who made 14-9 before missing at 15-1 (4.60).

Kaitlyn Banas opened at 13-1.5 (4.00) and missed 13-7.25. She finished in a three-way tie for 11th place.

Meanwhile, Friday late night racing at the Stanford Invitational produced a fast time for Sydney Thorvaldson over 10,000m. Thorvaldson clocked 33:03.36 to set a career best and move to No. 6 on the UA all-time list.

Other relay races in Austin had Arkansas finishing third in the 4 x 800m and sixth in the 4 x 100m.

A time of 8:42.83 in the 4 x 800 was achieved by the foursome of Lainey Quandt (2:10.28), Ainsley Erzen (2:07.83), Analisse Batista (2:10.46), and Chachi Gonzales (2:14.26). LSU won in a meet record of 8:20.69 with Clemson runner-up with an 8:38.57.

Finishing behind Arkansas were Rice (8:44.52) and Oklahoma State (8:47.00).

The Razorback squad of T. Wilson, Reid, Ariana Linton, and Effiong ran 43.96 for sixth in the sprint relay. Texas won in 42.00 to break the collegiate record of 42.05 set by LSU in 2018.

Racing in the finals of the 100m hurdles, Madison Langley-Walker finished seventh in a career best of 13.37 (2.0 wind). Ackera Nugent did not start the final along with Clemson’s Oneka Wilson.

Kentucky’s Masai Russell broke the collegiate record in the 100m hurdles with a 12.36 clocking, breaking the previous mark of 12.39 set by Clemson’s Brianna Rollins in 2013. She was followed by a pair of LSU hurdlers – Alia Armstrong (12.57) and Leah Phillips (12.95).