Tyson Center Again Leads Nation in NCAA Indoor Qualifying Performances
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Once again, the Randal Tyson Track Center on the University of Arkansas campus proved to be the ideal place to compete if programs were in search of high-level competition, and as a result, qualifying performances for the NCAA Indoor Championships.
Now in its 21st season, the ‘Fastest Track in the World’ produced the most NCAA Indoor qualifying marks of any track complex in the country. Among three home meets – Razorback Invitational, Tyson Invitational and Arkansas Qualifier – 55 of 528 NCAA Indoor qualifying performances were achieved on the Razorback’s Mondo surface at the Tyson Track Center.
The Arkansas facility also had the most NCAA Division I top 25 performances of any track and field facility in the country, which even occurred during a season in which the Razorbacks didn’t host a conference meet.
Next season, Arkansas will serve as host for the SEC Indoor Championships, February 26-27, as well as the NCAA Indoor Championships, March 12-13. 2021.
The Randal Tyson Track Center first opened in 2000 with a specially designed track, originally built by Mondo for the IAAF World Championships in Toronto, Canada. The track is a 200-meter, 60-degree banked track which has 60-meter straightaways in the center of the oval as well as men’s and women’s jumping runways and pits.
Featuring a red and gray Mondo track surface, the facility was resurfaced prior to the 2011 season and will be resurfaced for the 2021 campaign when the Razorbacks host two championship meets.
Since opening the facility, Arkansas has hosted numerous world-class indoor meets. In hosting the conference and national championships in 2021, it will be the 10th SEC Indoor Championships and 12th NCAA Indoor Championships hosted by the Razorbacks.
In hosting the NCAA Indoor for a 12th time, the Tyson Track Center will be equal to Indianapolis for the second most times serving as host behind Detroit’s leading 17 times from 1965 to 1981.
Following is a breakdown of the numbers for the 2020 season:
What track around the country produced the most NCAA Qualifying Performances?
1. 55 Arkansas
2. 52 Texas A&M*
3. 45 Boston University
4. 44 Washington*
T5. 39 Clemson
39 Texas Tech
7. 38 Notre Dame*
8. 32 New Mexico*
9. 29 Spire*
10. 23 Iowa State*
*Host of a conference championship (6 of top 10 facilities)
What meets around the country produced the most NCAA Qualifying Performances?
1. 46 SEC Indoor Championships Texas A&M
2. 33 Tiger Paw Invitational Clemson
3. 29 Big Ten Indoor Track and Field Championships SPIRE
T4. 28 Tyson Invitational Arkansas
28 2020 Husky Classic Washington
6. 26 Razorback Invitational Arkansas
7. 19 ACC Indoor Championships Notre Dame
8. 17 Texas Tech Invitational Texas Tech
T9. 14 2020 BU David Hemery Valentine Invitational Boston University
14 Big 12 Championships Iowa State
14 Boston University Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener Boston University
What track around the country produced the most end of season top 25 performances?
1. 80 Arkansas
2. 75 Texas A&M*
3. 74 Notre Dame*
4. 71 Washington*
5. 68 Boston University
6. 60 Texas Tech
7. 57 Clemson
8. 47 New Mexico*
9. 43 Spire*
10. 31 Iowa State*
*Host of a conference championship (6 of top 10 facilities)
What meets around the country produced the most end of season top 25 performances?
1. 63 SEC Indoor Championships Texas A&M
2. 48 Tiger Paw Invitational Clemson
3. 44 2020 Husky Classic Washington
4. 43 Big Ten Indoor Track and Field Championships Spire
5. 42 ACC Indoor Championships Notre Dame
6. 41 Razorback Invitational Arkansas
7. 36 Tyson Invitational Arkansas
8. 26 2020 BU David Hemery Valentine Invitational Boston University
9. 22 Texas Tech Invitational Texas Tech
T10. 20 2020 Alex Wilson Invitational Notre Dame
20 Boston University Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener Boston University
For the second consecutive year, Razorback and Tyson are second and third nationally when you remove conference championships. Tyson Center joins Notre Dame (host of ACC Championships) and Boston University has having two meets in the top ten.
#1 NCAA Marks (6 events):
Men’s 60m, Men’s 200m, Men’s DMR, Men’s Heptathlon, Women’s Long Jump, Women’s Triple Jump,
Top-10 Marks in the World: The Tyson Center saw 15 marks that currently rank among the top 10 in the world this year, including the Arkansas Men’s 4x400m Relay.
Men’s 60m #5 Raymond Ekevwo (Florida)
Men’s 200m #1 Terrance Laird (LSU)
Men’s 200m #2 Micaiah Harris (Texas)
Men’s 200m #5 Matthew Boling (Georgia)
Men’s 200m #9 Kennedy Lightner (Ark Baptist)
Men’s Pole Vault #9 Zach Bradford (Kansas)
Men’s Long Jump #5 JuVaughn Harrison (LSU)
Men’s Long Jump #6 Rayvon Grey (LSU)
Men’s Heptathlon #4 Johannes Erm (Georgia)
Men’s Heptathlon #8 Karel Tilga (Georgia)
Men’s Heptathlon #10 Kyle Garland (Georgia)
Men’s 4x400m #2 NC A&T
Men’s 4x400m #3 Arkansas
Women’s 200m #5 Thelma Davies (LSU)
Women’s 200m #8 Cambrea Sturgis (NC A&T)
