Two-time defending national champion Razorbacks lead NCAA Indoor qualifying

No. 2 Arkansas will have a leading 17 entries in the 2022 NCAA Indoor Championships, which will be held in the Birmingham CrossPlex in Birmingham, Alabama, on March 11-12.

The Razorbacks tally of 17 entries will cover 10 events. Texas has 16 entries in nine events while Florida (12) and LSU (11) follow with entries in eight events each.

National indoor champions in 2019 and 2021, while the 2020 version wasn’t held due to covid, Arkansas is well versed on what it takes to contend for a NCAA Indoor title.

The top five schools in the updated national rating index include No. 1 Florida, No. 2 Arkansas, No. 3 Texas, No. 4 LSU, and No. 5 Kentucky.

The Razorbacks enter this year’s championship as the top seed in both relays, having broken the collegiate record in the 4×400 to win the SEC Indoor title in 3:24.09, while posting the third fastest collegiate time in the distance medley relay with a school record 10:51.63 during the Razorback Invitational in Janaury.

Arkansas has multiple entries in five events – 200m, 400m, 800m, 60m hurdles, and pole vault. Shafiqua Maloney (2:01.74) and Britton Wilson (50.88) are each seeded second in the nation in their respective events, the 800m and 400m.

Lauren Gregory is entered in the 3,000m and 5,000m while Jada Baylark qualified in the 60m and 200m and Jayla Hollis advanced in the 200m and 60m hurdles.

Elien Vekemans and Nastassja Campbell represent the Arkansas pole vaulters in the national meet. Vekemans won the SEC Indoor title, setting a pair of career best marks in the process in clearing 14-6 and 14-8.

Other NCAA qualifiers for Arkansas includes Joanne Reid in the 200m, Morgan Burks-Magee and Rosey Effiong in the 400m, Quinn Owens in the 800m, and Daszay Freeman in the 60m hurdles.

Arkansas Entries| 2022 NCAA Indoor Championships