Don’t look now, but the Arkansas track and field teams are suddenly favored to repeat as men’s and women’s team champions at the 2024 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships.

The men’s team maintains their comfortable spot atop the FloTrack/TFRRS team rankings in week three, with a projected point total of 58 points; that far outpaces the projection for second place Washington (36 points) at the moment.

What’s remarkable for the Razorback men is that their top position hasn't been affected at all by the departure of star triple jumper Jaydon Hibbert— who won titles indoor and outdoor in 2023—  after he turned pro last week; in fact, their projected advantage over Washington increased in the wake of last weekend’s Razorback Invitational after the Hogs finished a close second in the 4x400m to Florida’s No. 1 ranked relay quartet.

Of course, winning on paper and winning on the track are two different things, and Arkansas’ position atop our rankings is currently buoyed by returning All-Americans who have yet to compete in 2024. Wayne Pinnock, the former NCAA champion and last year’s runner-up in the outdoor long jump, has not yet debuted. Neither has Kentucky transfer Jordan Anthony, who was second in the 60m last season. The Hogs will likely need those stars to keep teams like Washington and Florida at bay come March.

The Lady Razorbacks had a huge weekend at their home meet, and they sit at No. 1 in our rankings for the first time in 2024. The Arkansas women are led by a trio of superstar quarter milers, who occupy the top three spots in the 400m rankings: Amber Anning (No. 1), Rosey Effiong (No. 2) and Nickisha Pryce (No. 3).

Anning dominated the 400m at the Razorback Invitational in 50.56 to post the top time in the country this season. Georgia’s Aaliyah Butler was the runner-up in Anning’s heat in a distant 51.34, which is currently the No. 2 mark in the NCAA. Effiong and Pryce won their respective heats in matching 51.58 times, tied for No. 3 so far this season.

2024 Razorback Invitational

A world-leading 50.56 in the 400m for Amber Anning moves her to No. 10 on the collegiate all-time list, No. 3 British

So far this season, Anning ran 2:05.05 in 800m debut two weeks ago

Then broke British 200m record with a 22.60 yesterday#WPS 🐗🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/S5xvGlUWCR

— Arkansas Track & Field (@RazorbackTF) January 27, 2024

Unsurprisingly, the Lady Razorbacks easily won the 4x400m over the weekend in 3:25.59, a full second and a half faster than runner-up South Carolina (3:27.09). That they did that despite not running stud freshman Shawnti Jackson (No. 6 in 400m rankings), which makes their 400m and 4x400m prowess even more daunting for their competition. Jackson currently has top three marks in the 60m (7.18), 200m (22.77) and the eighth-best mark in the 400m (52.10).

Three other performances that helped Arkansas ascend beyond Florida and Texas to No. 1 in week three of the FloTrack/TFRRS rankings: Texas A&M transfer Sanu Jallow’s 2:02.60 800m run, South Florida transfer Nia Robinson’s 6.56m long jump and Anning's runner-up finish in the 200m (22.60).

All three marks are currently top five in their respective events; for Jallow, her 2:02 was a massive PB— the sophomore had never run faster than 2:05.68, indoor or outdoor, before last weekend.

Anning's 200m PB was good for a British indoor record to cap her stellar meet.