Arkansas Track Sends Loaded, Balanced Group to NCAA Championships

Arkansas is headed to Eugene with a full roster and a real chance to make noise.

The Razorbacks pushed 18 athletes through the NCAA West First Rounds at John McDonnell Field, earning 21 entries across 12 events for next month’s NCAA Championships at Hayward Field.

It was the kind of qualifying weekend that shows why this program keeps finding itself in the national title conversation.

The sprints set the tone early. Jelani Watkins and Tevijon Williams advanced in both the 100 and 200, plus the 4×100 relay. Watkins ran a smooth 10.03 in the 100, and Williams followed with a career-best 10.16 that now ranks No. 11 in school history. Karabo Letebele added a 10.14 to move on as well. In the 200, Watkins posted the second-fastest time of the day at 20.16, and Williams dropped another PR at 20.33. Dapriest Hogans advanced on time with a 20.59.

2026 NCAA West | 100m

Section 1 | -0.1
1) 10.03 Q Jelani Watkins (Ar)
2) 10.16 Q Tevijon Williams (Ar) [PR, No. 11 UA]

Section 2 | +1.2
3) 10.14 Q Karabo Letebele (Ar)

Three Razorbacks advance to Eugene in 100m pic.twitter.com/JLCvnl4KIS

— Arkansas TF/XC 🐗 (@RazorbackTFXC) May 29, 2026

The 4×100 relay looked like a group ready for Eugene. Letebele, Williams, Hogans, and Watkins combined for a 38.56, the top time of the meet.

The hurdles were just as productive. Abdoul Sy-Savane, Jerome Campbell, and Karamoko Sacko all advanced in the 110s, with Sy-Savane running a career-best 13.27 that now sits No. 3 on Arkansas’ all-time list.

2026 NCAA West | 4 x 400m relay

Section 3
1) 3:01.25 Q Arkansas
2) 3:02.12 Q Texas
3) 3:04.25 Q Minnesota

Ark splits
46.10 TJ Tomlyanovich
45.57 Devyn Wright
44.90 Zander Cruzan
44.68 Jordan Pierre pic.twitter.com/vZ3DZTHrGZ

— Arkansas TF/XC 🐗 (@RazorbackTFXC) May 30, 2026

Arkansas kept stacking qualifiers in the 400 and 800. Jordan Pierre and TJ Tomlyanovich both advanced in the 400, with Pierre winning his section in 44.81 and Tomlyanovich running a career-best 45.11. In the 800, Rivaldo Marshall and Tyrice Taylor moved on again after going 1-2 at NCAA Indoors. Taylor’s 1:44.35 was the fastest time of the day and ranks No. 8 on the all-time collegiate list.

Distance runners did their part too. Brian Masai won his 1,500 section. Ben Shearer won his 5,000 section, and Ernest Cheruiyot finished fourth to advance. Cheruiyot will also run the 10,000 in Eugene.

2026 NCAA West | 5,000m

Section 2
1) 13:41.34 Q Ben Shearer (Ar)
4) 13:42.00 Q Ernest Cheruiyot (Ar)
15) 14:08.02 Nick Busienei (Ar)

Shearer and Cheruiyot advance to Eugene pic.twitter.com/BrMmv7HXaA

— Arkansas TF/XC 🐗 (@RazorbackTFXC) May 30, 2026

In the field, Scottie Vines led all high jump qualifiers at 7-2.5, clearing four straight bars without a miss.

The night wrapped with another strong relay. Tomlyanovich, Devyn Wright, Zander Cruzan, and Pierre ran 3:01.25 in the 4×400, the second-fastest time of the meet behind Texas A&M.

Taken together, it was the kind of weekend that shows why Arkansas keeps separating itself from most of the country. This isn’t a program relying on one superstar or one event group. It’s a roster built to score everywhere, built to travel deep into June, and built to contend every year.

2026 NCAA West | 400m

Section 2
1) 44.81 Q Jordan Pierre (Ar)
7) 46.09 Devyn wright (Ar)

Section 3
1) 45.11 Q TJ Tomlyanovich (Ar) [PR, No. 9 UA]

Pair of Razorbacks advance to Eugene pic.twitter.com/kIp2xVvNtn

— Arkansas TF/XC 🐗 (@RazorbackTFXC) May 30, 2026

The Razorbacks aren’t just sending a big group to Eugene. They’re sending a balanced one, a confident one, and one that looks a lot like the teams that win trophies.

This is what a top-tier program looks like. And Arkansas is very much acting like one.

Razorbacks Advancing to Eugene

• 100m: Jelani Watkins, Karabo Letebele, Tevijon Williams
• 200m: Jelani Watkins, Tevijon Williams, Dapriest Hogans
• 400m: Jordan Pierre, TJ Tomlyanovich
• 800m: Tyrice Taylor, Rivaldo Marshall
• 1,500m: Brian Masai
• 5,000m: Ben Shearer, Ernest Cheruiyot
• 10,000m: Ernest Cheruiyot
• 110m: H Abdoul Sy-Savane, Jerome Campbell, Karamoko Sacko
• 4 x 100m: Karabo Letebele, Tevijon Williams, Dapriest Hogans, Jelani Watkins
• 4 x 400m: TJ Tomlyanovich, Devyn Wright, Zander Cruzan, Jordan Pierre
• High Jump: Scottie Vines
• Long Jump: Juriad Hughes