Razorback Women Finish Sixth at NCAA Outdoors
EUGENE, Ore. – The Arkansas women’s track and field capped its 2017 outdoor season in Eugene, Oregon as the sixth-best program in the NCAA with a final score of 38.2 points.
The two-day competition saw the Hogs collect two silver medals and a bronze medal along the way to earning the program’s fifth-consecutive top-10 NCAA outdoor team finish.
Top Razorback Contributors
Oregon transfer Nikki Hiltz and redshirt junior Taliyah Brooks combined to contribute 14 points towards Arkansas’ team total, each placing among the top-three in their respective events.
After not making the NCAA semifinals in the 1,500 in 2016, Hiltz returned to Hayward Field on Thursday afternoon on a mission to race to her full potential and play a major role in the success of her new team. She earned an automatic bid into the last round as the second-fastest performer in the semifinals, off a PR run of 4 minutes, 10.80 seconds. In the event finals, Hiltz once again maintained a solid position throughout the duration of the race before challenging the field on the homestretch with a last minute surge in the final 100 meters. She narrowly missed a gold medal by .02 seconds but was satisfied with her performance in the last race of her junior season.
In a tweet from her twitter account Hiltz said, “Gave it my all out there today. Ended up losing by.02 seconds but I’m flying back to Arkansas, knowing I left it all on the track.”
Off the track, Brooks took the lead for the Hogs on the final day, placing third in the heptathlon with a final score of 5,795 points. In a competition, which saw sun, rain, and hail at various times during the remaining three events, Brooks managed to buckle down and get the job done, breaking her long jump program record with an improved mark of 6.50m/21-4 along the way.
Senior Scorers
Seniors Leigha Brown (heptathlon) and Daina Harper (400) each added five points to the Razorbacks’ final score, off fourth-place finishes in their respective events. A three-time second team All-American prior to her final season, Brown saved her best effort for her last year, earning first team recognition at both the indoor and outdoor national meets for top-five finishes in the combined events. Harper also went out on a high note as she transitioned from being a strong relay contributor in past years to becoming the fourth-fastest quarter-miler in the NCAA in 2017. The Razorback sprinter also helped the 4-x-100-meter relay team (Jada Baylark, Payton Stumbaugh and Kiara Parker) finish sixth with a time of 43.68.
With the collegiate season in the books, a handful of Razorbacks will shift their focus to the 2017 USATF Outdoor Junior and Senior Championships in Sacramento, California on June 22-25.
NCAA Outdoor Scorers
400 Meters – Daina Harper (4th, 5 points)
1,500 Meters – Nikki Hiltz (2nd, 8 points)
4-x-100 Meter Relay – Baylark, Stumbaugh, Harper, Parker (6th, 3 points)
Pole Vault – Lexi Weeks (2nd, 8 points), Tori Weeks (6th, 3 points), Desiree Freier (T8th, .20 points)
Heptathlon – Taliyah Brooks (3rd, 6 points), Leigha Brown (4th, 5 points)
Team Standings (Top 10)
1. Oregon – 64
2. Georgia – 62.2
3. USC – 43
4. Kentucky – 40
5. Florida – 39
6. ARKANSAS – 38.2
7. LSU – 32
7. Texas – 32
9. Kansas State – 25
10. Arizona State – 21
NCAA Day Two Results
400 Meters Finals
4. Daina Harper – 51.42
1,500 Meters Semifinals
2. Nikki Hiltz – 4:13.68
5,000 Meters Finals
22. Taylor Werner – 16:25.25
23. Abby Gray – 16:30.77
4-x-100 Meter Relay Finals
6. Baylark, Stumbaugh, Harper, Parker – 43.68
Heptathlon Finals
3. Taliyah Brooks – 5,795
3. 100mH – 13.37 (1,069 points)
3. High Jump – 1.75m/5-8 3/4 (916)
16. Shot Put – 11.38m/37-4 (620)
5. 200m – 24.81 (904)
1. Long Jump – 6.50m/21-4 (1,007)
14. Javelin – 35.34m/115-11 (578)
16. 800 – 2:29.32 (701)
4. Leigha Brown – 5,694
8. 100mH – 13.73 (1,017 points)
4. High Jump – 1.72m/5-7 3/4 (879)
3. Shot Put – 12.56m/41-2 1/2 (698)
7. 200m – 24.91 (895)
12. Long Jump – 5.75m/18-10 1/2 (774)
15. Javelin – 35.33m/115-11 (578)
8. 800 – 2:17.85 (853)
For more information on Arkansas track and field including in-meet updates, follow @RazorbackTF on Twitter.
