Collegiate Record: Nickisha Pryce’s All-Time Best Leads Unprecedented Arkansas Sweep

48.89.

1-2-3-4.

What do those numbers mean?

A collegiate record and an unprecedented sweep.

Nickisha Pryce became the first female athlete in collegiate history to crack the 49-second barrier in the 400 meters in winning the event crown at the 2024 NCAA DI Outdoor Track & Field Championships on Saturday. Pryce wasn’t alone, though, as Kaylyn Brown (49.13), Amber Anning (49.59) and Rosey Effiong (49.72) finished second, third, and fourth, respectively to make history for Arkansas.

Current and former athletes for the Razorbacks now have ten of the top-11 marks in collegiate history, headlined by Pryce. Former record-holder and 2023 The Bowerman finalist Britton Wilson has five of those, including the previous 49.13 best.

That aforementioned quartet returned to the track later in the evening to obliterate the collegiate record in the 4×400 relay. Arkansas went 3:17.96 with three sub-50 splits: Effiong, Pryce and Brown went 49.21, 49.20 and 49.05, on the second, third and fourth legs, respectively.