Vault Trio Maintains Razorback Event Dominance
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Day two of the Tyson Invitational brought an impressive showcase by the No. 2 Arkansas women’s track and field team as pole vault trio Desiree Freier, Lexi Weeks and Tori Weeks distinguished the Razorbacks as the only program with three vaulters over 14 feet.
Lexi Weeks and Tori Weeks both finished with a final clearance of 4.45m/14-7 1/4 – a two centimeter improvement this season for Lexi. Freier joined the 14-foot club for the first time since an injury sidelined her at the 2015 Pan American Junior Championship two summers ago. Gradually regaining her rhythm throughout the event, Freier matched her collegiate best of 4.35m/14-3 1/4 on a first-attempt clearance before bowing out at 4.40m/14-5 1/4.
On the track, Arkansas’ 4-x-400-meter relay team of Leigha Brown, Damajahnee Birch, Ceara Watson and Daina Harper raced to a season-best time of 3 minutes, 32.81 seconds, finishing third in the invitational section of the event. Sophomore Kiara Parker also had a great afternoon, placing 12th in the 200 with a PR of 23.90.
Husky Classic
Out west, junior Nikki Hiltz took the reins for the Razorbacks, running a career best of 4:35.10 for third place in the mile at the Husky Classic. Hiltz closely trailed current NCAA mile-leader Danae Rivers of Penn State, notching the No. 4 best time in program history with her outstanding performance.
Taylor Werner also raced to a top-10 finish, placing eighth in the 3,000 with a 10-second PR of 9:06.34. One of the top freshmen in the field, Werner’s performance ranks her second only to Arkansas distance standout Dominique Scott in the Razorback record books.
Up Next
• Arkansas Qualifier – Friday, Feb. 17, Fayetteville, Ark.
• Alex Wilson Invitational – Saturday, Feb. 18, South Bend, Ind.
Postseason competition for the Razorbacks will begin with the Southeastern Conference Championships in Nashville on Feb. 24-25. Arkansas will close out the 2017 indoor season at the NCAA Indoor Championship in College Station, Texas, March 10-11.
Husky Classic (Day 2)
February 11, 2017
Dempsey Indoor Track (Seattle, Wash.)
Mile
3. Nikki Hiltz – 4:35.10
3,000 Meters
8. Taylor Werner – 9:06.34
Tyson Invitational (Day 2)
February 11, 2017
Randal Tyson Track Center (Fayetteville, Ark.)
200 Meters
12. Kiara Parker – 23.90
25. Kelsey Herman – 24.33
3,000 Meters
3. Micah Huckabee – 10:01.25
11. Grace Taylor – 10:31.23
5,000 Meters
2. Logan Bishop – 17:59.97
4-x-400 Meter Relay Invitational
3. Brown, Birch, Watson, Harper – 3:32.81
4-x-400 Meter Relay
6. Parker, McCallister, Herman, Byrnes – 3:39.90
High Jump Invitational
7. Taliyah Brooks – 1.75m/5-8 3/4
7. Leigha Brown – 1.75m/5-8 ¾
High Jump
9. Ashlee Moore – 1.65m/5-5
15. Carmen Sitz – 1.60m/5-3
Pole Vault Invitational
1. Tori Weeks – 4.45m/14-7 1/4
2. Lexi Weeks – 4.45m/14-7 1/4
4. Desiree Freier – 4.35m/14-3 1/4
Pole Vault
16. Rylee Robinson – 3.55m/11-7 3/4
16. Madeline Telford – 3.55m/11-7 3/4
— Stephanie Diettinger
Triple Jump
11. Jada Baylark – 11.95m/39-2 1/2
For more information on Arkansas track and field including in-meet updates, follow @RazorbackTF on Twitter.
