Griffith pulls three-peat in 3,000, earns Cliff Harper Trophy for high-point scorer to help Razorbacks capture first men’s title since 2017; Izzo sets meet record in 5,000 and also wins 3,000, with Viljoen capturing mile and contributing to DMR victory to lead Arkansas to sixth straight women’s crown

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Whether it was the fantastic final act by Cameron Griffith or the memorable first crown for Emmanuel Cheboson, the dominant double of Katie Izzo or the individual validation of Carina Viljoen, the Arkansas track and field program went the distance in more ways than one at the Southeastern Conference Indoor Championships.

The Razorbacks extended their storied women’s title streak to six years in a row and captured their first men’s championship since 2017 and 23rd overall, defeating runner-up LSU in back-and-forth battles in both genders at Texas A&M’s Gilliam Indoor Stadium.

RESULTS | INTERVIEWS

Arkansas relied on 72 points from its female distance athletes, including 3,000- and 5,000-meter titles from Izzo, along with Viljoen winning the mile championship and leading off the victorious distance medley, to prevail by a 102-87.5 margin over LSU for its 10th overall championship.

Griffith, who captured his third consecutive 3,000 crown along with taking second in the mile and anchoring the runner-up DMR, was supported by a 5,000 title from Cheboson, as the Razorbacks accumulated 57 points in the men’s distance events to rally past the Tigers 106-88.

Aside from the seventh championship sweep by Arkansas, there were five collegiate-leading performances, multiple global leaders, a pair of all-time meet performances and World U-20 records in back-to-back days by Florida freshman Grace Stark in the women’s 60-meter hurdles.

Although LSU senior Tonea Marshall won her first indoor title in the 60 hurdles in 7.89 seconds, Stark clocked 7.91 in the final to place second after eclipsing the record for the first time in the prelims by running 7.93.

Tara Davis had run 7.98 seconds in 2018 during her freshman season at Georgia to become the first World U-20 athlete to break the 8-second barrier.

Of all the collegiate-leading performances, the most impressive came from Kentucky sophomore Abby Steiner, who also took over the top spot in the world in the women’s 200 meters by running 22.57 seconds, equal to the No. 15 all-time collegiate indoor performer.

It marked the first time Kentucky had won a women’s 200 championship in conference history.

After helping the Wildcats run the fastest time in the world this year in the 4x400-relay two weeks ago by clocking 3:29.74 at the Tiger Paw Invitational at Clemson, Steiner didn’t run in Saturday’s final and Kentucky was overtaken on the final lap by Alabama, which took over the global lead with a 3:29.36 effort.

Tamara Clark, who had already won the 60-meter dash title in 7.27, teamed with Takyera Roberson, D’Jai Baker and Natassha McDonald to lead the Crimson Tide to its first women’s 4x400 title since 1994.

Alexis Holmes, who did run on the 4x400 relay for Kentucky, captured the Wildcats’ second 400 championship in three years by running 52.08.

Tennessee sophomore Carey McLeod improved on his personal-best long jump that ranks No. 3 in the world this year.

Following two fouls to open the competition, McLeod advanced to the final with a third-round leap of 26-4.50 (8.04m), then added to his lead in the fourth round with a 26-10.50 (8.19m) effort that equaled the No. 17 all-time collegiate indoor performer.

Kentucky senior Ellen Ekholm equaled the meet record in the women’s high jump with a first-attempt clearance at 6-3.25 (1.91m), matching the 2018 mark set by Mississippi State’s Logan Boss. Ekholm, who prevailed against last year’s champion Abigail O’Donoghue of LSU and her 6-2 (1.88m) mark, equaled the No. 18 clearance in the world this year and matched the No. 21 performer in collegiate indoor history.

Texas A&M junior Tyra Gittens not only eclipsed the program record and produced the No. 23 all-time collegiate performance in the women’s pentathlon with 4,391 points, but she added to her first indoor title with a third-place effort in the high jump with a 6-0.75 (1.85) clearance and a fourth-place mark in the long jump with a leap of 20-7 (6.27m).

Gittens, who improved to No. 9 in the world this year in the pentathlon, joined Arkansas’ Griffith in receiving the Cliff Harper Trophy for the highest-scoring athletes at the championship meet.

Izzo eclipsed the longest-standing active women’s meet record by running 15:48.34 in the 5,000, surpassing the 1990 mark of 15:53.34 by Kentucky’s Valerie McGovern. She also prevailed in the 3,000 in 9:09.02 to match the championship double achieved last year by teammate Taylor Werner, who is redshirting this indoor season.

Viljoen earned her first individual championship, leading the Razorbacks’ sweep of the top two spots in the mile by clocking 4:40.19, with teammate Krissy Gear taking second in 4:42.15. Gear and Viljoen teamed with Kennedy Thomson and Morgan Burks Magee, as Arkansas won the distance medley relay for the second year in a row by running 11:19.51.

Georgia senior Amber Tanner captured the program’s first championship in the women’s 800 since Mary McClung in 1995 by clocking 2:04.35.

Georgia freshman Jasmine Moore and Texas A&M junior Deborah Acquah provided a thrilling conclusion to the women’s triple jump, after an already exciting battle in the long jump final.

Moore led all the way through the first five rounds, before Acquah jumped 44-11.50 (13.70m) on her final attempt to briefly gain the advantage. Moore responded on the final jump of the competition with a 45-1 (13.74m) to capture her first title and the seventh in the past decade for Georgia.

Acquah had prevailed in the long jump with a leap of 21-2 (6.45m) in the third round, with Moore taking second with another sixth-round performance of 21-1.25 (6.43m).

LSU junior Lisa Gunnarsson survived a showdown with Georgia freshman Julia Fixsen and Arkansas sophomore Bailee McCorkle in the women’s pole vault, emerging victorious with a first-attempt clearance at 14-7.50 (4.46m). Fixsen and McCorkle both cleared the same height, but needed two and three attempts, respectively, to remain in the competition.

Ole Miss junior Shey Taiwo had the two best marks in the women’s weight throw, with her fifth-round effort of 74-6.50 (22.72m) securing the third title in four years for the Rebels after Janeah Stewart won in 2017-18.

Latavia Maines helped Tennessee pull off its first sweep of both women’s and men’s shot put championships since 1984 with a first-round effort of 55-3 (16.84m). Joseph Maxwell captured the men’s crown with a mark of 65-0.75 (19.83m) in the second round.

Florida senior Clayton Brown was part of two thrilling battles in the men’s triple jump and high jump, both decided by the narrowest of margins.

Brown captured the triple jump title with a fifth-round mark of 54-1.75 (16.50m) after Tennessee’s McLeod had temporarily taken over the lead with a 54-1.25 (16.49m) on the previous jump.

It was an even sweeter victory for Brown, who had two of his attempts at 7-5 (2.26m) in the high jump negated by the crossbar barely falling off the standards after he had already landed on the pit.

LSU junior JuVaughn Harrison cleared 7-5 on his third attempt to become the Tigers’ first male athlete to repeat in the high jump since Randy Geyer in 1965-66.

LSU junior Terrance Laird, already the world leader in the men’s 200 at 20.43, captured the Tigers’ first championship since Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake in 2016 by clocking 20.52. Georgia freshman Matthew Boling won his section, but took second in 20.71.

Another Georgia athlete, redshirt freshman Kyle Garland, extended the Bulldogs’ dominance in the heptathlon to eight straight years, accumulating 5,856 points. Arkansas earned 14 valuable points toward its title effort, with junior Markus Ballengee (5,706) and senior Tyler Brendel (5,626) finishing second and third.

Ole Miss continued its success in the distance medley relay, winning its second in a row and for the sixth time in seven years.

Despite Griffith producing a 4:00.30 anchor-leg split for runner-up Arkansas (9:42.0), the Ole Miss quartet of Nick Moulai, James Burnett, Baylor Franklin and Waleed Suliman prevailed in 9:40.95.

Texas A&M senior Devin Dixon won his third straight indoor 800 title and sixth overall by clocking 1:49.63. Fellow senior Bryce Deadmon led the Aggies’ sweep of the top two spots in the 400, running 45.51, followed by freshman Jamal Walton in 45.62.

All three athletes contributed to Texas A&M winning a fourth consecutive 4x400 relay title, teaming with Carlton Orange to run 3:04.86.

After being outkicked in the final 100 meters of the mile by Missouri sophomore Martin Prodanov (4:14.92), Griffith rebounded to win the 3,000 in 8:10.24, becoming the first male athlete since Arkansas’ Ryan Wilson in 1996-98 to capture three straight titles.

Arkansas swept the 3,000 and 5,000 for the second year in a row, with Cheboson clocking 13:52.72 in the 5,000.

Prodanov edged Griffith by a 4:14.92 to 4:15.03 margin to capture the first men’s mile title for Missouri since joining the conference in 2013. Teammate Thomas George took second for the Tigers in the 3,000 (8:11.04) and 5,000 (13:57.10).

Florida senior Raymond Ekevwo, already the collegiate leader in the 60-meter dash in 6.53, followed a victory by Grant Holloway last year to give the Gators back-to-back titles in 6.57.

Florida captured a third individual title with junior Thomas Mardal winning the men’s weight throw. Mardal followed teammate AJ McFarland to also give the Gators consecutive championships, producing a third-round effort of 75-1.25 (22.89m) for a new personal best.

Alabama senior Robert Dunning edged LSU sophomore Eric Edwards Jr. by a 7.65 to 7.66 margin to secure the men’s 60-meter hurdles crown. It marked the first championship for the Crimson Tide since Ron Bramlett in 2001-02.

Kentucky’s Matthew Peare won the men’s pole vault title with a 17-11 (5.46m), capturing the first win in the event for the Wildcats since Dave Franta in 1960.