Arkansas dominated the women's pole vault Friday at the NCAA West preliminaries track and field meet at Myers Stadium in Austin, Texas, where senior Sandi Morris, freshman Desiree Freier and junior Ariel Voskamp all cleared 13-11.
Morris, Freier and Voskamp finished among the top 12 to advance to the NCAA Championships, which will be held June 10-13 in Eugene, Ore.
Morris, the college outdoor record holder after going 15-5 3/4 to win at the SEC Championships two weeks ago, passed on the first three heights Friday and cleared her only attempt at 13-11.
Morris and Freier officially tied Stephen F. Austin junior Demi Payne -- the college indoor record holder -- for first based on having no misses. Voskamp, who is from Cabot, finished sixth.
The pole vault was stopped after cutting the qualifiers to 12.
Also advancing to the NCAA Championships for the No. 2-ranked Arkansas women's team were junior Taylor Ellis-Watson in the 400 meters, seniors Rebekka Simko and Chrishuna Williams in the 800 meters, and seniors Jessica Kamilos and Shannon Klenke in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.
Ellis-Watson ran 51.52 to win her quarterfinal heat and finish third overall. Simko ran 2:03.57 for the second-fastest time in the 800 and Williams -- the national leader -- ran 2:03.81 to take fifth. Kamilos was eighth in 10:02.62 and Klenke 11th in 10:12.05.
Arkansas freshman Taliyah Brooks and senior Alex Gochenour advanced to today's second round of the 100-meter hurdles. Brooks ran 13.12 and Gochenour 13.44.
Junior Jarrion Lawson ran 10.13 in the 100 meters to advance to nationals for the sixth-ranked Arkansas men's team. He also advanced in the long jump, where he went 26-1 1/2 Thursday on his only attempt before running the first round of the 100.
Arkansas sophomore Omar McLeod, the national leader in the 110-meter hurdles, had the fastest time in Friday's first round at 13.36 to advance to today's quarterfinals.
Lawson and McLeod also will run legs today on the Razorbacks' 400-meter and 1,600 relay teams.
Central Arkansas senior Tanner Chance failed to advance in the 400 meters. He ran 47.31 and finished 18th. Arkansas State freshman Jaylen Bacon ran 10.75 in the 100 to finish 24th.
Arkansas two-time NCAA champion Andrew Irwin, a senior from Mount Ida, will compete in the pole vault today. NCAA champion Dominique Scott, an Arkansas senior, will run in the women's 5,000 meters and senior All-American Kemoy Campbell will run in the men's 5,000.
Scott will be looking to advance to nationals in her second event after taking third in the 10,000 meters Thursday night.
Sports on 05/30/2015