FAYETTEVILLE – An incredible display of sprinting by Isabella Whittaker in claiming the NCAA Indoor 400m title with an American and collegiate record earned her the South Central Region Track Athlete of the Year honor.
Whittaker produced a 2025 world-leading time of 49.24 in breaking the previous American and collegiate record of 49.48 set at the 2023 NCAA Indoor by Razorback Britton Wilson.
Closing out the meet with the 4 x 400m relay, Whittaker supplied an anchor leg split of 49.70 as the Razorbacks won with a 3:25.20. The relay leg by Whittaker and the winning time both rank No. 5 on all-time indoor world lists.
Whittaker also joined a select group of sprinters who have won the NCAA Indoor 400m and been on the winning 4 x 400m relay.
The previous sprinter to achieve the feat was Wilson in 2023 with her 49.48 400m win along with a world best 49.19 anchor on the Razorbacks world best winning time of 3:21.75.
NCAA Indoor | 400 & 4 x 400 relay sweep
| Year | School | ATHLETE |
| 2025 | Arkansas | Isabella Whittaker |
| 2023 | Arkansas | Britton Wilson |
| 2018 | USC | Kendall Ellis |
| 2016 | Texas | Courtney Okolo |
| 2015 | Texas | Courtney Okolo |
| 2014 | Oregon | Phyllis Francis |
| 2011 | Texas A&M | Jessica Beard |
| 2007 | South Carolina | Natasha Hastings |
| 2004 | Texas | Sanya Richards |
| 2001 | South Carolina | Demetria Washington |
| 1999 | Texas | Suziann Reid |
| 1994 | Seton Hall | Flirtisha Harris |
| 1991 | Arizona State | Maicel Malone |
| 1986 | Tennessee | Ilrey Oliver (500m) |