Road To London: 14 Hogs Take On USAs

June 21, 2017

SACARAMENTO, Calif. – With the collegiate season behind them, eight members of the Arkansas women’s track and field team will pursue success on the national stage at the 2017 USATF Outdoor Championships on June 22-25 in Sacramento.

Hosted by California State University, the four-day event will see the top athletes from around the country vying for a spot on the United States’ World Championships team. Former Olympic host city (2012) London, England will stage the 2017 IAAF World Championships on Aug. 5-13. The top-three finishers in each event at the USATF championships will advance on to World competition (must also have world standard).

Current Razorbacks traveling to California, includes Taliyah Brooks (heptathlon), Daina Harper (400), Nikki Hiltz (1,500), Maddy Reed (3,000), Payton Stumbaugh (heptathlon), Lexi Weeks (pole vault), Tori Weeks (pole vault) and Taylor Werner (3,000). They will be joined in competition by six ProHogs.

The veteran Razorback group will be headlined by Rio Olympic trio Taylor Ellis-Watson, Sandi Morris and Chrishuna Williams and will also feature Stephanie Brown (1,500), Alex Gochenour (heptathlon) and Jessica Kamilos (steeplechase).

Top Ranked Razorbacks
A silver medalist in her Olympic debut last year, Morris heads into the pole vault competition as the top entry with her 2017 best clearance of 4.84m/15-10 1/2 from the Houston Rice All Comers Meet this past May. A top-three finish at USAs would mark her third-consecutive bid to represent the U.S. senior team on the international level.

In the USATF Junior competition, rising sophomore Taylor Werner is poised to dominate the 3,000-meter field, heading into the race with a personal best 18 seconds faster than the next best entry. Werner looks to wrap up her sensational first campaign with the Razorbacks, which saw her collect two All-America accolades, with a USATF national title.

Current and Pro Matchups

400 Meters: Daina Harper | Taylor Washington. Strongest PR – Washington, 50.25 (2016)
1,500 Meters: Nikki Hiltz | Stephanie Brown. Strongest PR – Brown, 4:07.55 (2015)
Pole Vault: Lexi Weeks/Tori Weeks | Sandi Morris. Strongest PR – Morris, 5.00m/16-4 3/4 (2016)
Heptathlon: Taliyah Brooks/Payton Stumbaugh | Alex Gochenour. Strongest PR – Brooks, 6,099 points (2017)

Rio Olympian Williams will be the first to see competition for the Hogs, taking on the first round of the 800-meter run at 7:25 p.m. on Thursday, June 22.

Arkansas USATF Event Schedule
Thursday, June 22
7:25 p.m. – 800m First Round (C. Williams)
9:20 p.m. – 400m First Round (D. Harper, T. Washington)
10:13 p.m. – Steeplechase First Round (J. Kamilos)
11:05 p.m. – 1,500m First Round (S. Brown, N. Hiltz)

Friday, June 23
9:16 p.m. – 400m Semifinals (D. Harper, T. Washington)
10:28 p.m. – 800m Semifinals (C. Williams)

Saturday, June 24
12:45 p.m. – Hept. 100mH (T. Brooks, A. Gochenour, P. Stumbaugh)
2:00 p.m. – Hept. High Jump (T. Brooks, A. Gochenour, P. Stumbaugh)
3:22 p.m. – 400m Finals (D. Harper, T. Washington)
4:00 p.m. – Hept. Shot Put (T. Brooks, A. Gochenour, P. Stumbaugh)
4:12 p.m. – 1,500 Finals (S. Brown, N. Hiltz)
4:24 p.m. – Steeplechase Finals (J. Kamilos)
5:04 p.m. – Hept. 200m (T. Brooks, A. Gochenour, P. Stumbaugh)
7:49 p.m. – 3,000m Jr. Finals (M. Reed, T. Werner)

Sunday, June 25
1:00 p.m. – Hept. Long Jump (T. Brooks, A. Gochenour, P. Stumbaugh)
2:00 p.m. – Hept. Javelin (T. Brooks, A. Gochenour, P. Stumbaugh)
2:00 p.m. – Pole Vault Finals (S. Morris, L. Weeks, T. Weeks)
3:28 p.m. – Hept. 800m (T. Brooks, A. Gochenour, P. Stumbaugh)
4:06 p.m. – 800m Finals (C. Williams)

Italicized events require qualification.

For more information on Arkansas track and field including in-meet updates, follow @RazorbackTF on Twitter.