By: Aly Covington
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (UATV)- The University of Arkansas’ Men’s and Women’s Track and Field teams recently brought home National Championship titles. Both teams claimed NCAA’s for the Indoor Championships.
A new flag is flying over John McDonnell Stadium in Fayetteville. The number “49” on the flag represents the 49 National Championships that the program has brought home. Not only did both teams win Nationals, they also swept Conference Championships back in February. The Razorbacks won all four titles that they competed for.
This is Women’s Coach Lance Harter’s last season as head coach so the stakes are high to go out on top. Arkansas Track Athlete, Paris Peoples said she knew what they needed to do in order to get the job done when it came to winning.
“Everybody has a different way to get prepped for track meets, but when you do it so many times, and I’m saying this for myself, you don’t have to be so serious about it. Have fun. Especially at Nationals. Just take in the moment that you’re actually there,” said Peoples.
Peoples said they did a lot of block work and were even able to practice at the outdoor track when it got a little warmer outside. The preparation for SEC’s started and Arkansas wasn’t the women’s team favored to win it all. Arkansas Track Athlete Kaitlyn Banas was a part of the conference win back in February. She said after they competed the first day, Coach Harter told them that they scored more points than anticipated. Banas said from then on, she knew they had a good chance of winning the title.
“I guess the culture around here, we make it happen, so I wasn’t worried about us coming up on top, but there was some pressure,” said Banas.
There was pressure to win, but the resume of Arkansas Track proved itself once again. Once the last relay was finished, the men and women brought out brooms and the celebration started. The next goal was to win the National Championship, and that they did, twice.
Not only did both teams win, multiple Razorbacks brought home National Titles. The women’s 4×4 relay team ran a World Best and Britton Wilson won in the 400 meter race setting an American and Collegiate record. Jaydon Hibbert won his triple jump competition and Ackera Nugent won the 60 meter hurdles race also setting a Jamaican National Record, Collegiate Record, NCAA Meet Record and is the current 2023 World Leader in the preliminary round of the hurdles, just to name a few. Titles were brought home and records were broken.
The track teams shift their focus to outdoor season now and as it is underway. When it comes to winning the outdoor titles, Peoples said she’s looking forward to hopefully doing it all again. “We came home with 49 National Championships, let’s make it 51 now,” said Peoples.
The Razorbacks host an outdoor meet this week to continue their climb towards more titles.