Arkansas Women Claim NCAA Indoor Track and Field Crown

Arkansas secured its back-to-back indoor national title with a narrow win over Florida, scoring 55-50, under the leadership of first-year head coach Chris Johnson, marking his first NCAA team championship.

This victory represents the fifth NCAA Indoor championship for the women of Arkansas, contributing to their eighth overall title. The Razorbacks previously clinched indoor team championships in the years 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023, and now 2024.

Furthermore, this championship signifies the 50th in the history of both the men's and women's track and field teams at Arkansas.

A remarkable performance in the 400m race, where Arkansas athletes swept the top three spots, was a key highlight. Amber Anning took gold with a time of 50.79 seconds, followed by Nickisha Pryce and Rosey Effiong, securing silver and bronze, respectively.

Arkansa had high hopes for his team's performance based on their previous success at the SECs, and the athletes delivered, marking a historic 1-2-3 finish in the NCAA Indoor 400m for any women's team.

In addition to the 400m, the same trio contributed in the 200m, adding six points to their tally, thus amassing a total of 30 points from just two events.

The day began with Rachel Glenn setting a collegiate and American collegiate record in the high jump, clearing 6-6.75 (2.00m), and outperforming the defending champion, Lamara Distin. Glenn’s victory also marked her qualification for the Olympics and placed her among the top high jumpers in collegiate and U.S. history.

Arkansas also scored points through Destiny Huven in the 60m hurdles and aimed to add to their score in the 4 x 400m relay. Despite setting the leading time, a disqualification in the relay prevented additional points and a historic consecutive win in this event.

• SEE ALL NCAA INDOOR CHAMPIOSNHIPS RESULTS HERE

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS AND PERFORMANCES:

In addition to the thrilling performances by Arkansas at the NCAA Indoor Championships, several other athletes also shone brightly on the event's final day, contributing to the spectacle with remarkable achievements.

Parker Valby of the University of Florida continued her winning streak by securing victory in the women's 3000m, clocking in at an impressive meet-record time of 8:41.50. This performance followed her emphatic win in the 5000m on Friday, solidifying her status as the No. 3 all-time collegian in the event.

Brianna Lyston of LSU sprinted to success in the 60 meters with a time of 7.03, making her the second-fastest collegian in history, trailing only behind last year's The Bowerman winner Julien Alfred.

Jasmine Jones of Southern California etched her name at No. 3 on the all-time list for the 60-meter hurdles with a swift 7.77, surpassing Florida's Grace Stark in a closely contested race.

JaMeesia Ford of South Carolina claimed the top spot in the 200 meters with a time of 22.34, becoming the fastest-ever freshman in the event and moving to No. 4 all-time.

Juliette Whittaker of Stanford delivered a historic performance in the 800, overtaking LSU’s Michaela Rose in the final stretch. Both athletes finished under 2 minutes in the same indoor race, a first in collegiate history, with Whittaker's time of 1:59.53 becoming the No. 3 all-time collegiate indoor record.

Harvard's Maia Ramsden captured the mile in a meet-record time of 4:25.13. Though not a personal best, this time ranks her as the No. 3 performer in collegiate indoor history.

Rachel Glenn's victory in the high jump, clearing 2.00m (6-6¾), not only secured her a spot in the Collegiate Record holder club but also avenged her previous loss to Texas A&M’s Lamara Distin at the SEC Indoor Championships, where Distin had set the Collegiate Record at the same height.

Ruta Lasmane of Texas Tech made her mark in the triple jump with a leap of 14.47m (47-5¾), securing her place as the No. 4 all-time performer in the event. Her performance was so dominant that any of her three fair jumps would have clinched the win, highlighting the depth of talent on display throughout the championships.

• SEE ALL NCAA INDOOR CHAMPIOSNHIPS RESULTS HERE

Women's Final Team Score:

• SEE ALL NCAA INDOOR CHAMPIOSNHIPS RESULTS HERE