Arkansas has historically been one of the best track and field programs in NCAA history, leading all schools in team titles across genders across seasons. Yet, Arkansas is home to more than team championships; it's home to the record-setting indoor track facility, the Randal Tyson Track Center.
The Randal Tyson Track Center has hosted 13 indoor NCAA championships in the 21st century and has seen 25 percent of all Division I Championship records (nine of 36) set on its surface. That percentage reached 53 percent after the Fayetteville track venue hosted the 2021 championships.
Even non-NCAA championship records have been set at the Randal Tyson Track Center like the women's 800 meter collegiate record set by Texas A&M's Athing Mu at the 2021 SEC Championships, the men's mile collegiate record set by Oregon's Cooper Teare at the 2021 Tyson Invitational and the men's DMR collegiate record set by Oklahoma State at the 2023 Arkansas Qualifier.
That said, let's take a look at all of the NCAA championship records set at Arkansas' indoor track through 2023.
2004 — Women's 5000m
The 2004 NCAA indoor championships marked the fifth-straight year that Arkansas hosted the championship meet. There, Providence's Kim Smith set the 3000-meter and 5000-meter championship records, with her 5000-meter time of 15:14.18 still standing today as the fastest of any women at the NCAA indoor championships.
2007 — Women's weight throw
It's not every day that a collegiate athlete sets a world record, but at the 2007 NCAA indoor championship meet, Southern Illinois' Brittany Riley did just that. Her 25.56-meter mark in the weight throw not only set an NCAA championship record, it also set a world record that lasted until 2017.
2008 — Men's shot put
The oldest standing NCAA men's indoor championship record set in Fayetteville came in 2008 when Arizona State's Ryan Whiting landed a 21.73 meter shot put. Whiting's performance helped the Sun Devils win the 2008 NCAA indoor title.
2013 — Men's 3000m
Arizona's Lawi Lalang had a prolific collegiate career, but his performance in the Randal Tyson Track Center in 2013 still stands in the history books over a decade later. Lalang set an NCAA championship record in the 3000 meters, finishing in 7:45.94.
2015 — Men's weight throw
Wisconsin's Michael Lihrman made NCAA indoor championship history with his 24.64 meter weight throw in 2015. With his record-setting performance, he won back-to-back titles in the event.
2015 — Women's mile
Michigan State's Leah Falland set the women's mile record on Arkansas' home track, finishing in 4:27.18.
2021 — Men's mile
Oregon's Cole Hocker is one of many great distance runners in the history of the storied program. His 3:53.71 finish in the mile back in 2021 still stands as a championship record.
2021 — Men's DMR
Oregon's DMR team set a championship record in 2021, finishing in 9:19.98. Here's how the legs ran:
- Reed Brown — 2:52.73
- Xavier Nairne — 47.58
- Charlie Hunter — 1:46.70
- Cooper Teare — 3:52.99
Oregon also won the 2021 men's team title.
2021 — Women's Pentathlon
Texas A&M's Tyra Gittens put on an all-time performance in the pentathlon, scoring 4,746 points. Here's how her championship-record setting performance broke down across the five events:
- 60 hurdles | 2nd place | 8.27 seconds | 1068 points
- High jump | 1st place | 1.93 meters | 1145 points
- Shot put | 1st place | 13.86 meters | 785 points
- Long jump | 1st place | 6.58 meters | 1033 points
- 800 meters | 15th place | 2:28.22 | 715 points
Previous records that have since fallen
The following are NCAA championship records that were set at Randal Tyson Track Center but have since fallen (year set):
- Men's pole vault (2021)
- Men's 5000m (2021)
- Men's triple jump (2015)
- Men's heptathlon (2010)
- Men's 60m (2008)
- Men's 60 hurdles (2015)
- Men's 200m (2005)
- Men's 400m (2005)
- Men's 800m (2001)
- Men's 4x400 meter relay (2015)
- Women's 60m (2021)
- Women's 800m (2021)
- Women's 4x400 meter relay (2021)
- Women's long jump (2021)
- Women's 200m (2021)
- Women's triple jump (2021)
- Women's DMR (2015)
- Women's pole vault (2015)
- Women's 60 hurdles (2013)
- Women's shot put (2013)
- Women's 400m (2010)
- Women's 3000m (2004)
