Defending champion Razorbacks enter NCAA Indoor as No. 1 team

BOSTON – With the Razorbacks claiming national championship titles in three of the past four NCAA Indoor meets held, Arkansas enters this year’s meet ranked No. 1 under first-year head coach Chris Johnson.

“It’s a tribute to the coaching staff and the high level athletes we have here,” said Johnson on the national success for the Razorbacks. “Our goal is to go out there and score as many points as possible. We feel good about the amount of bodies we got in, now those bodies have to do work and score points.

“You have to do it on the day. The field includes the top 16 in each event, and there are 17 events. So, we have to execute on those two days and see if we can get out of there with a W.”

Last season the Razorbacks were No. 3 going into the NCAA Indoor and collected a fourth indoor team title and seventh national championship overall.

Arkansas defeated Texas by four points, 64-60, as the 2023 meet came down the final event and the Razorbacks delivered a world all-time best of 3:21.75 to win the 4 x 400m relay and claim the championship. Additional podium teams included Florida (45) and Stanford (33).

This year’s rankings heading into the NCAA Indoor Championship have Arkansas leading the field followed by Florida, Texas, Oklahoma State, and Oregon.

“This is a meet of intestinal fortitude,” noted Johnson. “My focus is on how we can be at our best. We’ll pay attention to what other teams have going on and watch their events, but our deal is to focus on what can we do.

“We can control our own fate by how well we execute in the events we are in. We have to execute and maximize our points. We’ll see where the chips fall. This is about Arkansas and what we can do under the stress of a national meet in a different environment than we’ve been all season long. I think our kids are up to the task.”

Arkansas head coaches Chris Bucknam (men) and Chris Johnson (women) preview the NCAA Indoor Championships

Ranked No. 1 the past six weeks, this year’s Arkansas squad has a leading 17 entries in nine events. Four of the five Razorbacks in the 400m rank 1-2-3-4 nationally while in the 200m the crew ranks 2-3-5-8.

“It’s a big ask to have them do the 400 and 200, and we understand that,” said Johnson. “The time schedule is pretty tough to be able to do that. That puts us in a position to win, and the kids have bought into our team and winning the championship.

“There’s a lot of pressure on their shoulders to be able to pull this off. Preparations have went well, they’re motivated and excited to go out there and compete. This is for Arkansas and the legacy of the program. Those are our stronger events, we’re excited about them, but we understand it’s going to be a task.”

Amber Anning is the national leader in the 400m with a 50.43 followed by a pair of 50.83s from teammates Nickisha Pryce and Kaylyn Brown. Rosey Effiong ranks fourth in the 400m at 51.00 and is second nationally in the 200m with a 22.51 while Anning ranks third at 22.60. They’re followed by Price (22.62) and Shawnti Jackson (22.77).

Arkansas has won the 4 x 400m relay the past two years at NCAA Indoor. They established a world leading mark this season with a 3:25.59 in late January and it wasn’t surpassed until the World Indoor Championships this past weekend when the Netherlands ran 3:25.07 followed by the United States in 3:25.34.

The Razorbacks currently rank third and fifth on the 2024 world list. The leading time by Arkansas included Effiong, Anning, Pryce, and Sanu Jallow. The second mark of 3:26.33 was set as runner-up in the SEC Championships with a foursome of Joanne Reid, Rachel Glenn, Jallow, and Brown.

The distance medley relay finished second a year ago are seeded ninth this season. The crew that qualified the Razorbacks to the NCAA Indoor included Tiana LoStracco, Ashanti Denton, Ainsley Erzen, and Mary Ellen Eudaly.

Rachel Glenn ranks third in the high jump with her Arkansas school record of 6-4.25 (1.94). Previously with South Carolina, Glenn earned a silver medal in 2021 and bronze in 2022.

Additional entries for the Razorbacks include Destiny Huven in the 60m hurdles and Nia Robinson in the long jump. Huven equaled her career best of 8.05 in the SEC meet while Robinson improved her best to 21-4.25 (6.51).

Arkansas also has a pair of Razorbacks racing in the 800m with Jallow and Erzen. They are seeded seventh and 14, respectively, with the career best times of 2:01.77 and 2:02.46 they set this season.