Three Razorback vaulters advance to Austin, pair of NCAA West records broken

SACRAMENTO – Three Razorback pole vaulters advanced to Austin for the NCAA Championships while Arkansas qualified a total of 12 entries in four events for Saturday’s quarterfinals at Sacramento State on Thursday. Seven of those dozen entries were produced in the 400m.

Kaitlyn Banas led the trio of Razorbacks advancing in the pole vault, tying with a pair of other vaulters with no misses in the pole vault competition as they each cleared 13-10 (4.22). Banas made first attempts on all four bars she cleared on the chilly evening.

NCAA Indoor champion Amanda Fassold was fourth overall as she needed a second attempt at the deciding height of 13-10. Mackenzie Hayward was the third Razorback over 13-10, placing sixth as she required a third attempt at the height.

A pair of NCAA West hurdle records were broken by Ackera Nugent and Britton Wilson during the first round of the 100m hurdles and 400m hurdles.

Nugent raced in the first heat of the first race of the day along with teammate Madison Langley-Walker. Nugent sped to a record time of 12.72 into a 1.7 headwind to better the previous NCAA West meet record of 12.76 that Nugent set in 2021 with Baylor.

Langley-Walker finished fourth in the race with a 13.47 time that advanced her to the quarterfinal with the final time qualifier.

Wilson bettered the 400m hurdles meet record of 54.50 set in 2013 by Stanford’s Kori Carter as she breezed to a 54.08 clocking to lead the field. Langley-Walker advanced in a second event with a 57.08 that placed fifth overall.

Prior to the 400m hurdles, Wilson led seven Razorbacks to the 400m quarterfinals with a leading time of 50.15. Nickisha Pryce, runner-up in another heat, registered a career best of 50.73, which moves her to No. 4 on the UA all-time list. The previous best for Pryce was 51.43.

Paris Peoples, runner-up to Wilson, was sixth overall with a career best of 51.09, which is No. 8 on the UA all-time list. Rosey Effiong won the first heat in 51.13, seventh best among the field.

Joanne Reid posted a 52.04 for third in the same heat with Effiong and was 14th overall. Aaliyah Pyatt (52.64) and Ashanti Denton (52.78) were 20th and 23rd overall with Amber Anning (54.28) 41st.

Marin Chamberlin, who cleared 13-6.25 (4.12) was one of four vaulters who required a jump-off to determine the final spot to move onto Austin. Oklahoma’s Olivia Lueking prevailed when she made the 13-10 bar while the other three missed first attempts.

Bailee McCorkle also made the 13-6.25 bar, a season’s best, in placing 21st overall.

In the final race of the day, Nyah Hernandez finished 36th in the field of 48 in the 10,000m with a time of 34:08.22. Hernandez was a late add to the field after a medical scratch and she bettered 12 runners who were seeded higher than her going into the race.

In the 200m, Ariane Linton posted wind-aided 23.30 to finish third in the heat and 16th overall to reach Saturday’s quarterfinal. MeKenze Kelley ran 23.56 to place 29th.

Linton also raced in the 100m where her 11.52 placed 26th while teammate Tiana Wilson clocked 11.56 to finish 32nd overall.

The first round of the 1,500m had Carmie Prinsloo (4:21.25) and Katie McCune (4:23.37) placing 30th and 38th overall. In the 800m, Lainey Quandt ran 2:08.36 to place 35th.