COLLEGE STATION, Texas (Univ. of Ark.) — The No. 1 Arkansas women’s track and field team won its 12th-consecutive Southeastern Conference title with a victory at its indoor league championship on Sunday evening in College Station.
The Razorbacks amassed 108 points over the two-day competition, propelled to success by a pair of individual conference champions and several other top-eight finishers. Arkansas has now won eight SEC indoor titles since joining the conference in 1991.
Senior Nikki Hiltz won Arkansas’ second gold medal of the weekend, placing first in the mile in 4 minutes, 34.37 seconds. Hiltz paced herself off Mississippi State senior Rhianwhedd Price-Weimer for the first seven laps eventually overtaking Price-Weimer with 200 meters to go. The Oregon transfer was followed by fellow Razorback milers Carina Viljoen (third), Maddy Reed (fifth) and Sydney Brown (sixth). The quartet combined to score 23 points towards Arkansas’ teams score.
Prior to the mile Kingston, Jamaica native Janeek Brown opened the day in phenomenal fashion for the Razorbacks, racing to a silver medal in the 60-meter hurdles. Brown crossed the finish line in a PR of 8.04, setting a new program record and lifting herself up to No. 6 in the NCAA. The Arkansas newcomer, now the fastest-freshman hurdler in the country was joined inside the top eight by Payton Chadwick (fourth) and Taliyah Brooks (seventh).
The Razorbacks received more points off the heels of sophomore Taylor Werner in the 5,000-meter run, following her third-place finish in the event. Werner was joined inside the top-eight by fellow sophomore Rachel Nichwitz who finished in fifth with a personal best of 16:39.90.
Arkansas distance medley relay team of Carina Viljoen, Sydney Hammit, Kailee Sawyer and Devin Clark collectively picked up eight points for the Razorbacks, finishing in second place. The last points of the weekend came right after DMR secured by 4-x-400-meter relay team of Taliyah Brooks, Jada Baylark, Kiara Parker and Morgan Burks-Magee who finished in seventh place in 3:36.27.
Notables:
- Short sprint duo Jada Baylark and Kiara combined to add four points to the team total, finishing sixth and eighth, respectively in the 60.
- Freshman Morgan Burks-Magee scored five points for Arkansas as the fourth-place finisher in the 400.
SEC Scorers (A-Z):
- Taliyah Brooks (Pentathlon – 1st, 60mh – 7th, 4-x-400 – 7th): 12.5 points
- Jada Baylark (60m – 6th, 4-x-400 – 7th): 3.5 points
- Janeek Brown (60mH – 2nd): 8 points
- Sydney Brown (Mile – 6th): 3 points
- Morgan Burks-Magee (400m – 4th, 4-x-400 – 7th): 5.5 points
- Payton Chadwick (60mh – 4th): 5 points
- Devin Clark (3K – 5th, DMR – 2nd): 6 points
- Desiree Freier (Pole Vault – 5th): 4 points
- Sydney Hammit (DMR – 2nd): 2 points
- Nikki Hiltz (Mile – 1st): 10 points
- Tori Hoggard (Pole Vault – 2nd)
- Lexi Jacobus (Pole Vault – 3rd)
- Rachel Nichwitz (3K – 6th, 5K – 5th): 7 points
- Kiara Parker (60m – 8th): 1 point
- Ellie Ramos-Mata (Pole Vault – 8th)
- Maddy Reed (Mile – 5th): 4 points
- Kailee Sawyer (DMR - 2nd): 2 points
- Carina Viljoen (Mile – 3rd, DMR – 2nd): 8 points
- Taylor Werner (3K – 4th, 5K – 3rd): 11 points
The Razorbacks will break from action next weekend, returning to College Station March 9-10 for the 2018 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships.
SEC Indoor Championships
Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium
Feb. 25, 2018
Team Standings
1. Arkansas - 108
2. Georgia - 84.5
3. Kentucky - 74
4. LSU - 63
5. Texas A&M - 62
6. Florida - 61
7. Ole Miss - 42
8. Alabama - 37
9. Missouri - 35.5
10. Mississippi State - 31
11. Tennessee - 21
12. South Carolina- 17
13. Auburn- 16
14. Vanderbilt- 11
60 Meters Finals
6. Jada Baylark – 7.24
8. Kiara Parker – 7.30
400 Meters Finals
4. Morgan Burks-Magee – 52.42
Mile Finals
1. Nikki Hiltz – 4:34.37
3. Carina Viljoen – 4:43.35
5. Maddy Reed – 4:47.55
6. Sydney Brown – 4:48.65
5,000 Meters
3. Taylor Werner – 16:35.34
5. Rachel Nichwitz – 16:39.90
11. Sydney Brown – 17:04.54
12. Rachel Nichwitz – 17:07.68
60 Meter Hurdles Finals
2. Janeek Brown – 8.04
4. Payton Chadwick – 8.11
7. Taliyah Brooks – 8.22
Distance Medley Relay
2. Arkansas A: Viljoen, Hammit, Sawyer, Clark – 11:14.38
4-x-400 Meter Relay
7. Arkansas A: Brooks, Baylark, Parker, Burks-Magee – 3:36.27
High Jump
Carmen Sitz – NH
For more information on Arkansas track and field including in-meet updates, follow @RazorbackTF on Twitter.
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