FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – THURSDAY, MAY 27, 2021 – COMMUNICATIONS CONTACT: Shawn Price

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD

Online Version: https://bit.ly/3fqxXYn

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – No. 3 Arkansas produced five qualifiers to the NCAA Championship meet from three events contested at the NCAA West Preliminary round on Thursday. In addition, the Razorbacks advanced 14 entries among six events that have quarterfinal races on Saturday.

Three Razorbacks – Lauren Martinez, Mackenzie Hayward and Bailee McCorkle – advanced to Eugene in the pole vault, but current collegiate leader Nastassja Campbell was not among that trio.

A wind-aided leap of 21-4 (6.5) had G’Auna Edwards advancing in the long jump as she placed eighth overall. She also had a wind-legal mark of 20-9 ¾ (6.34).

In the final race of the evening, Katie Izzo finished third in the 10,000m, which included a field of 48, with a time of 33:38.64. Just missing qualifying for the 12-person NCAA final was Devin Clark, who placed 13th in 34:06.42.

Among six events which had prelim races advancing to quarterfinals on Saturday, the Razorbacks qualified 14 of the 16 entries they had on Thursday.

In the pole vault, Martinez tied for the top mark as she cleared 14-0 (4.27) with no misses to match the effort of Baylor’s Tuesdi Tidwell. Hayward and McCorkle both cleared 13-8 ¼ (4.17) to finish 10th and 11th overall among the 12 advancing to Oregon.

Kaitlyn Banas was the fourth Arkansas vaulter over 13-8 ¼, matching McCorkle by clearing the bar on her second attempt, however previous misses placed her 14th overall.

Campbell, who won the SEC title with a collegiate leading 14-10 ¾ (4.54), opened with a first attempt clearance at 13-4 ¼ (4.07) and then missed three attempts at 13-8 ¼ to place in a four-way tie for 18th.

Starting things off in the prelims of the 100m hurdles, the Arkansas trio of Daszay Freeman, Yoveinny Mota and Jayla Hollis posted swift times. Mota won her heat in 12.75w (2.3 wind) while Freeman clocked a career best of 12.85 (2.0 wind) to win the final heat with Hollis runner-up in a career best 12.99.

Freeman maintain her No. 3 position on the UA all-time list, improving her previous best of 12.92, while Hollis, who improved her previous best of 13.37 from high school, moves to No. 8 on the UA all-time list.

Kennedy Thomson posted the fastest time among the five Razorbacks racing in the 1,500m with a 4:17.02 to place third in the second prelim heat and it was the third best time overall. Carina Viljoen led the majority of the second heat and finished fifth in 4:17.34, the fifth best time overall.

Isabel Van Camp clocked 4:18.98 for fourth place in the first heat and placed 11th overall. Krissy Gear won her heat in a comfortable 4:21.69, which ranked 17th overall.

In the 100m, Tiana Wilson (11.08w) and Jada Baylark (11.11) registered the fourth and sixth best times in the prelims. Wilson won her heat with a wind-aided time (2.7 wind) while Baylark was runner-up in her heat (1.6 wind).

Both Razorbacks racing in the 400m advanced with Morgan Burks-Magee (52.75) placing third in her heat while Paris Peoples (53.19) finished runner-up in another heat. Their times ranked 17th and 18th overall.

Shafiqua Maloney won a heat of the 800m in 2:06.16, which ranked fifth best among the prelim times. Quinn Owen ran 2:11.79 and didn’t advance on time.

Racing at 200m, Wilson (22.66w) and Baylark (22.91w) produced the third and ninth best times as Wilson won her heat and Baylark was runner-up in another section.