Willis clocks 2:01.06 to surpass 2:01.93 leg by Martinez in 2017, teaming with Whittaker, Valmon and Tanaka to help Stanford run 10:55.15, as Gregory anchors in 4:29.89 for Arkansas; Davis builds on world long jump lead for FSU, Daniel gets Kentucky pole vault record and Oklahoma State men’s DMR repeats 

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Photos by David Hicks

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Roisin Willis had already been a part of two memorable distance medley relay performances before she ran her first one in a Stanford kit Friday, contributing to an American Under-20 all-time indoor mark in March in Chicago, before joining a trio of New Balance professional athletes in April to produce the world indoor record in Boston.

But Willis delivered her most remarkable relay effort at the Razorback Invitational, achieving the fastest 800-meter leg in world indoor DMR history, joining forces with Juliette Whittaker, Maya Valmon and Melissa Tanaka to prevail in 10 minutes, 55.15 seconds at Randal Tyson Track Center.

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Willis clocked 2:01.06, surpassing the all-time indoor 800 split of 2:01.93 produced by Brenda Martinez as part of the 2017 New Balance All-Star lineup that ran the previous world indoor record 10:40.31 in Massachusetts.

Willis ran 2:03.29 on the 800 leg in April when she teamed with Heather MacLean, Kendall Ellis and Elle St. Pierre to run a new world indoor record 10:33.85 at the New Balance facility in Boston.

Willis and Whittaker were also members of the DMR quartet that included current Arkansas freshman Mia Cochran as well as Ali ince of Normal Community in Illinois and ran 11:15.45 in March to achieve the American U20 indoor mark at the Gately Indoor Track and Field Center in Chicago.

Shafiqua Maloney of Arkansas had run the previous fastest collegiate indoor split of 2:01.95 at last year’s meet, contributing to a victory in 10:51.63 for the host Razorbacks.

Tanaka needed all nine seconds of the advantage Willis established to hold off an exceptional group of athletes running the 1,600-meter anchor legs for their respective schools.

Florida’s Parker Valby surged past Tanaka to take the lead with 700 meters remaining, but the Stanford senior remained composed and stayed in contact with the lead group that also included Arkansas’ Lauren Gregory and Oklahoma State’s Taylor Roe, before making a decisive move just before the final curve to help the Cardinal secure the win.

Gregory ran 4:29.89 on the anchor for Arkansas, helping the Razorbacks improve from eighth place to finish runner-up in 10:56.73.

It marked the second-fastest indoor 1,600-meter split in Razorbacks’ indoor history – trailing only the 4:28.89 anchor leg produced by Dominique Scott that helped Arkansas clinch the 2015 NCAA Division 1 title – and ranks No. 4 all-time among collegiate indoor competitors.

Oklahoma State relied on Roe closing in 4:34.84 to take third in 10:57.33 and Valby achieved a 4:35.54 split, as Florida finished fourth in 10:57.58, with Brigham Young placing fifth in 10:57.60.

Kentucky, which entered the meet as the collegiate indoor DMR leader, secured sixth in 10:58.26.

Whittaker led off with a 1,200-meter split of 3:18.96 for Stanford, the third-fastest collegiate indoor leg in history and No. 2 by a Stanford athlete, trailing a 3:18.2 effort by Elise Cranny in 2017 in Pennsylvania and a 3:18.8 performance from Florida’s Agata Strausa in 2012 in New York.

Whittaker’s split elevated her to No. 7 in U.S. history and No. 9 all-time among global indoor competitors, with Valmon following by achieving a personal-best 52.41 split on the 400 leg for the Cardinal, the fastest recorded on an indoor DMR in program history, surpassing Jayna Smith at 52.5 on the 2000 NCAA Division 1 championship quartet.

Oregon State’s Kaylee Mitchell, who helped the Beavers finish seventh in 11:00.57, ran the opening 1,200 in 3:19.05, the fourth-fastest indoor leg in history by a collegiate athlete. Mitchell elevated to No. 8 in American history and 10th all-time in the world.

Oklahoma State repeated as men’s DMR winner, with Ryan Schoppe, DJ McArthur, Fouad Messaoudi and Alex Maier clocking 9:29.08 to hold off Texas A&M in 9:29.69.

Florida State’s Jeremiah Davis improved on his world-leading long jump by producing a pair of 26-11.25 (8.21m) marks in the first and third rounds.

Arkansas’ Carey McLeod, a transfer from Tennessee, finished second in his Razorbacks’ debut with a 26-6.50 (8.09m) effort.

Kentucky’s Keaton Daniel cleared a lifetime-best 18-10.25 (5.75m) on his second attempt in the pole vault to eclipse the program record and take over the collegiate lead.

Brigham Young’s Caleb Witsken had an 18-2.50 (5.55m) clearance to place second.

Texas A&M’s Lamara Distin secured the collegiate women’s high jump lead with her 6-2.75 (1.90m) clearance on her second try. Aggies’ teammate Bara Sajdokova and Arkansas’ Sydney Billington tied for second with 6-foot (1.83m) clearances.

Arkansas’ Kason O’Riley cleared 7-1.50 (2.17m) on his first attempt to prevail in the men’s high jump after Arizona State’s Jeremy Cody made the height on his third opportunity. Both competitors missed three tries at 7-3.25 (2.22m).

Florida’s Jasmine Moore prevailed in the women’s long jump with a 21-9.50 (6.64m) fifth-round performance, rallying after former Texas A&M standout and Ghanaian professional athlete Deborah Acquah briefly took the lead at 21-8.75 (6.62m).

Kentucky’s Josh Sobota edged LSU’s John Meyer in the men’s shot put by a 65-11 (20.09m) to 65-10.50 (20.08m) margin, with both marks being achieved in the fourth round.

Ole Miss took the top two spots in the women’s shot put with Jalani Davis emerging victorious with a 55-11.25 (17.05m) performance in the fourth round and Jasmine Mitchell finishing second at 52-9.50 (16.09m).

LSU’s Favour Ofili held off Florida’s Talitha Diggs by a 22.53 to 22.65 margin in the women’s 200.

Former Kentucky standout Alexis Holmes, a Nike professional athlete, won the open 200 in 23.40.

Christian Coleman, another Nike competitor, triumphed in the men’s open 200 in 20.64.

Kentucky’s Kennedy Lightner prevailed in the men’s 200 in 20.71, edging Florida’s Robert Gregory in 20.74.

Texas A&M standout G’Auna Edwards, a former Arkansas All-American, won the women’s pentathlon with 4,138 points, rallying past Oklahoma State’s Bailey Golden with a lifetime-best 2:25.19 in the 800 meters.

Golden achieved a program-record 4,123 points, improving from her fourth-place effort of 4,030 at last year’s meet. She also ran an indoor personal-best 2:26.74 in the 800.

Will Daniels, a former Iowa athlete, accumulated 3,501 points to grab the opening-day lead in the men’s heptathlon. Iowa junior Peyton Haack leads all collegiate competitors with 3,336 points.