BATON ROUGE, La. — The third-ranked Razorback women wrapped up their weekend with one event title, four runner-up finishes, an improved program record and a seasons’ best in the 4-x-400.
In a field saturated with talent, Arkansas sophomore Lexi Weeks emerged as the pole vault victor on Saturday afternoon at the SEC Relays in Baton Rouge.
Weeks was the only vaulter able to get over a 14-foot bar with her clearance of 4.37m/14-4. The two-time NCAA champion closed out the competition with three solid attempts at 4.61m/15-1 1/2 but was unable to sail over cleanly.
Silver Hogs
Redshirt sophomores Sydney Brown (1,500) and Desiree Freier (pole vault) led Arkansas’ solo efforts as each managed to finish among the top-two most talented performers in their respective events.
The Razorbacks also seized runner-up finishes in the shuttle hurdle relay and the distance medley relay. Arkansas’ shuttle hurdle relay team was comprised entirely of multis including, Kelsey Herman, Payton Stumbaugh, Ashlee Moore and Leigha Brown.
The hurdle squad completed the event in 55.25. The Razorback DMR team included Carina Viljoen, Sydney Hammit, Alex Byrnes and Taylor Werner.
The young group, which featured three freshman, put up a solid fight against a veteran Mississippi State team and completed the race in 11 minutes, 30.83 seconds.
SEC Competition Leads to New Record
4-x-100-meter relay squad of Taliyah Brooks, Stumbaugh, Daina Harper and Kiara Parker were pulled to an improved program record of 43.57 by stiff SEC competition courtesy of LSU, Texas A&M and Alabama.
LSU won the event, tying the NCAA collegiate record of 42.12, which was set earlier this year by Oregon.
Parker & Harper Pull Double Time
Primarily a short sprints specialist, Parker rose to the occasion at the end of the meet as lead leg for the Razorbacks’ 4-x-400-meter relay team.
The group, which included Harper, Damajahnee Birch and Ceara Watson, placed fourth with a seasons’ best of 3:32.11. The performance is the seventh best in the NCAA West region.
Additional Notable Performances
Freshman Jada Baylark moved up to No. 12 on the NCAA West 100-meter performance list with a PR of 11.38. Baylark was the fastest freshman at the meet and finished fifth overall.
Her time also earned her a place in Razorback history as fifth-best performer of all time.
Arkansas will close out the regular season with the Arkansas Twilight on Friday, May 5 at John McDonnell Field.
A small group of Hogs will also journey back out West for the Payton Jordan Invitational in Stanford, California.
SEC Relays
100 Meters: 4. Jada Baylark – 11.38
1,500 Meters: 2. Sydney Brown – 4:27.45, 3. Valerie Reina – 4:28.29, 6. Abby Gray – 4:31.65, 7. Maddy Reed – 4:34.38, 9. Kailee Sawyer – 4:40.06
4-x-100 Meter Relay: 4. Brooks, Stumbaugh, Harper, Parker – 43.57
Shuttle Hurdle Relay: 2. Herman, Stumbaugh, Moore, Brown – 55.25
Distance Medley Relay: 2. Viljoen, Hammit, Byrnes, Werner – 11:30.83
4-x-400 Meter Relay: 4. Parker, Harper, Birch, Watson – 3:32.11
Pole Vault: 1. Lexi Weeks – 4.37m/14-4, 2. Desiree Freier – 4.22m/13-10, 4. Tori Weeks – 4.07m/13-4¼
Triple Jump: 10. Jada Baylark – 11.81m/38-9
