The Arkansas women’s track-and-field program continued its status as one of the best in the nation Thursday as four Razorbacks athletes qualified for the NCAA Championships just the first day of the NCAA West First Round in Fayetteville.
Nia Robinson (long jump), Rachel Homoly (pole vault) and both Paityn Noe and Sydney Thorvaldson (10,000-meter run) all to the showcase collegiate event being held in Eugene, Oregon.
Homoly, who is just a freshman, made her best vault ever, hitting a 14-1.25 (4.30) mark to finish in a three-way tie for eighth and advance. Her achievement marks the 20th time in the last 21 Outdoor Championships that Arkansas has had a pole vaulter qualify.
Robinson advanced with a wind-aided leap of 21-6 (6.55) to rank 10th among the qualifiers. Noe finished second in the distance run with a time of 33:54.76, while Torvaldson made her second straight Championships with a 34:54.76 time.
As a team, Arkansas qualified 13 athletes in seven different events for Saturday’s quarterfinals.
Amber Anning set a McDonnel Field record in the 400-meter dash with a time of 50.23. Rosey Effiong and Nickisha Pryce each won their heats in the run, too, with times of 50.26 and 50.31, both of which would have set McDonnel Field records had Anning not eclipsed.
The complete list of qualifiers is below.
Pole Vault
Rachel Homoly
Long Jump
Nia Robinson
10,000-meter run
Paityn Noe
Sydney Thorvaldson
Qualifiers to Quarterfinal | NCAA West
Ariane Linton – 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash
Ambert Anning – 400-meter dash
Rosey Effiong – 400-meter dash
Nickisha Pryce – 400-meter dash
Kaylyn Brown – 400-meter dash
Aaliyah Pyatt – 400-meter dash
Joanne Reid – 400-meter dash
Sanu Jallow – 800-meter run
Analisse Batista – 800-meter run
Destiny Huven – 100-meter hurdles
Rachel Glenn – 400-meter hurdles