Britton Wilson, Ackera Nugent break trio of NCAA West records

SACRAMENTO – Razorback Britton Wilson, who adorns the cover of Track & Field News magazine this month, repeated her 400m and 400m hurdles double from the SEC Championships, but did so in a shorter time frame between races to conclude the NCAA West preliminary rounds on Saturday with a pair of meet records.

Wilson’s performance highlighted an active day for Arkansas, who reached a total of 15 entries for the NCAA Championships in Austin from 13 athletes in seven events.

Starting with the 400m, Wilson cruised to a stellar time of 49.51 in the quarterfinals. The effort bettered the NCAA West meet record of 49.68 set by Athing Mu of Texas A&M in 2021. It’s equal No. 4 performance on the collegiate all-time list and Wilson has also generated the four faster performances all this season.

Wilson’s set of 400m times this outdoor season boggles the mind, particularly when you consider she ran 49.48 to win the NCAA Indoor title while setting the American and collegiate record.

The order of performances by Wilson in the 400m include 49.51 (Florida), 49.40 (SEC prelims) collegiate record, 49.13 (SEC final) collegiate record, 50.15 (NCAA West), 49.51 (NCAA West) meet record.

Following her 400m effort, Wilson had 35 minutes until she raced again over 400m hurdles, where she had set the NCAA West meet record in the first round with a 54.08.

Delivering another fast performance, Wilson bettered the field by two full seconds with a 53.71 that improved her NCAA West meet record. The second-best time of 55.79 belonged to Houston’s Sydni Townsend.

Another heat winner for Arkansas in the 400m hurdles was Madison Langley-Walker, who claimed the final heat in 56.06, moving to No. 3 on the UA all-time list. Her previous best was 56.60 from this season.

Ackera Nugent improved her NCAA West meet record in the 100m hurdles again. This time she ran 12.69 (0.8 wind) to lead the field and better the 12.72 she clocked in the first round. Racing in the third heat with Nugent was teammate Langley-Walker, who set a career best of 13.11 to finish fifth in the race and 11th overall.

Arizona’s Talie Bonds matched Nugent’s previous record to win the first heat in 12.72 while Texas Tech’s Demisha Powell claimed the second heat in 12.77.

Five of the seven Razorback entrants in the 400m advanced to Austin. USC advanced three while Texas and Texas A&M each had a pair.

Rhasidat Adeleke of Texas won the third heat in 49.54, posting the second fastest time of the day as she broke the Longhorns school record of 49.71 by Courtney Okolo in 2016. Adeleke is now the No. 2 performer with the No. 5 performance on the all-time collegiate outdoor list.

Razorback Rosey Effiong finished runner-up to Adeleke with a career best of 50.17, which moved her to No. 2 on the Arkansas all-time list behind Wilson’s collegiate record of 49.13.

Racing in the same heat as Wilson, Nickisha Pryce finished as runner-up as she lowered her career best to 50.49, which is No. 4 on the UA all-time list. Pryce also moves to No. 17 on the all-time Jamaican list. Coming into this meet, Pryce had a best of 51.43 and improved to 50.73 in the first round.

Paris Peoples, celebrating her birthday, added another career best this weekend as she clocked 50.60 for third place behind Effiong. Peoples, who had a PR of 51.62 coming into this meet, improved to 51.09 in the first round. Her sub-51 performance moves her to No. 5 on the UA all-time list.

Joanne Reid, who finished fifth in the first heat, snared the last time qualifier with a career best of 51.49 to better her previous best of 51.95.

Aaliyah Pyatt posted a time of 52.15 to finish fourth in the second heat and placed 16th overall while Ashanti Denton was 24th in 53.87.

Nugent led off the Razorbacks 4 x 100m relay that won its heat in a season best of 43.03 over Oregon (43.57) and had the second fastest time overall behind a 42.15 for Texas. The rest of the Arkansas line-up included Ariane Linton, MeKenze Kelley, and Effiong.

Before finishing off the meet with the 4 x 400m relay, Sydney Thorvaldson advanced to Austin in the 5,000m with a 15:45.13 that placed her fifth in the first heat and 10th overall.

Generating the leading time in the 4 x 400m relay, Arkansas had a 3:25.95 from the quartet of Peoples, Pryce, Effiong (50.54), and Reid (51.93). The NCAA West meet record of 3:25.16 was set by the Razorbacks in 2022.

Baylor was a zip code away as runner-up to Arkansas with a 3:29.20, even with a 50.02 anchor leg from Mariah Ayers. Other heat winners included USC in 3:27.52 and Texas with a 3:27.85 as Adeleke anchored in 50.52.

Also racing in the 5,000m for Arkansas were Heidi Nielson, who set a career best of 16:02.70, along with Claire McCune (16:11.48) and Julia Paternain (16:15.08).

In the 3,000m steeplechase a pair of falls hampered the efforts by Laura Taborda and Gracie Hyde. Both got up and finished as Taborda had a 10:19.73 while Hyde turned in a 10:53.33.

Linton also raced in the 200m where she had a wind-aided 23.22 (2.5) that placed her 19th overall.

NCAA Championships | Arkansas entries | 13 athletes, 15 entries, 7 events