Former Texas star, NCAA Division 1 champion, collegiate record holder and Bowerman Award finalist scheduled to compete at two-day event at Randal Tyson Track Center for first time since historic performance in March

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

The last time Tara Davis competed at the Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, Ark., she left a lasting impression on the runway with an NCAA Division 1 long jump title and collegiate indoor record leap of 22 feet, 9 inches (6.93m).

Davis, a Bowerman Award finalist, went on to add a Division 1 outdoor championship and NCAA all-time mark of 23-5.25 (7.14m) during her final season with Texas, on the way to qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics.

Now, the 22-year-old professional athlete representing Champion who trains in Fayetteville is preparing for the USATF Indoor Championships on Feb. 26-27 at The Podium in Spokane, Wash., and is looking to rely on the same dynamic runway at Randal Tyson Track Center to generate momentum as part of an impressive women’s invitational long jump field Friday at the Tyson Invitational.

Davis, who won the 114th Millrose Games on Jan. 29 with a first-round mark of 21-7.50 (6.59m), is one of the elite competitors at the two-day event also showcasing Jamaican sprinter and Olympic medalist Shericka Jackson and World Championships 400-meter hurdles silver medalist Shamier Little from the U.S., in addition to several NCAA standouts, including collegiate women’s indoor triple jump record holder Jasmine Moore of Florida, as well as Division 1 leader Lisa Gunnarsson of LSU in the women’s pole vault.

Trey Cunningham of Florida State, the top-ranked collegiate competitor in the men’s 60-meter hurdles, is entered in the 60-meter dash. Arkansas’ Ayden Owens, the No. 2 performer in the indoor heptathlon in NCAA history, is scheduled to participate in the 60-meter hurdles.

Davis is expected to be joined by fellow American professionals Taliyah Brooks, Savannah Carson, Sydney Conley, Madisen Richards, Sha’Keela Saunders and Jasmine Todd, as well as Division 1 All-Americans Claire Bryant and Moore from Florida, Charisma Taylor of Tennessee and Kansas State’s Taishia Pryce.

Former Arkansas standouts Jarrion Lawson and LaQuan Nairn are leading the men’s invitational long jump field Friday, which also includes Texas graduate Steffin McCarter, as well as Tennessee’s Carey McLeod and Florida State’s Isaac Grimes.

McLeod is also entered in the men’s invitational triple jump Saturday, scheduled to compete against former Tennessee teammate Jah-Nhai Perinchief and LSU’s Sean Dixon-Bodie.

Moore and Pryce are also scheduled to compete in the women’s triple jump, in addition to Florida’s Natricia Hooper, Missouri’s Arianna Fisher, Tennessee’s Kala Penn and Florida State’s Alonie Sutton.

Gunnarsson, the reigning Division 1 indoor and outdoor women’s pole vault champion, is expected to compete Friday against a deep Arkansas lineup featuring Nastassja Campbell, Eileen Vekemans, Bailee McCorkle, Mackenzie Hayward and redshirt athlete Amanda Fassold, along with the Ole Miss pair of Lyndsey Reed and Samara McConnell.

Princeton brothers Sondre Guttormsen and Simen Guttormsen are scheduled to participate in the men’s pole vault Saturday against former Arkansas star, two-time NCAA Division 1 winner and 2019 U.S. Indoor champion Andrew Irwin.

Abby O’Donoghue leads a strong LSU trio in the women’s invitational high jump Saturday, along with Nyagoa Bayak and Morgan Smalls, as well as Jamaican athlete Kimberly Williamson.

Florida’s Anna Hall is scheduled to run the 60-meter hurdles and long jump Friday, followed by competing in the high jump Saturday.

Alabama’s Bobby Colantonio leads the men’s weight throw competition Friday, an event that includes LSU’s Jon Nerdal, Nebraska’s Alexander Talley and Arkansas’ Ruben Banks.

O’Dayne Richards of Jamaica is the top competitor in the men’s shot put Saturday, joined by Alabama’s Isaac Odugbesan, LSU’s John Meyer and Nebraska’s Burger Lambrechts and Talley.

Nebraska freshman Axelina Johansson is expected to square off against Alabama’s Nickolette Dunbar in the women’s shot put.

Jackson, an Olympic bronze medalist in both the 100 and 400 meters along with a gold medalist in the 4x100 relay and silver medalist in the 4x400 relay, is entered in the women’s 60-meter dash and is expected to square off against American Mary Beth Sant-Price.

LSU’s Favour Ofili, Florida’s Talitha Diggs and Arkansas’ Jayla Hollis are scheduled to race in a showdown of three of the top 10 collegiate women’s competitors in the 200 meters.

Little is expected to be paired against Jamaican Stephenie Ann McPherson in the women’s 400, which also features Arkansas’ Rosey Effiong and Britton Wilson.

American Christina Clemons is scheduled to match up in the women’s open 60-meter hurdles against Cindy Sember of Great Britain.

Florida’s Jacory Patterson is entered in the men’s 200 and 400, with Iowa’s Jenoah McKiver and Arizona State’s Justin Robinson both participating in the latter.

Rheinhardt Harrison, an Oregon-bound senior at Nease High in Florida, is scheduled to compete in the men’s mile in his pursuit of a sub-4 performance. Isaac Basten of Drake and American professional Brett Meyer are also in the heat.

Oklahoma City standout Zouhair Talbi, the reigning NAIA cross country and indoor national champion, is entered in the men’s 3,000 and 5,000 meters, along with All-American teammate Shimales Abebe. Arkansas redshirt athlete Jacob McLeod is also entered in the 3,000.

Florida State has Rebecca Clark, Elizabeth Funderburk, Amanda Beach and Erin Phelps competing in the women’s 5,000.