Reigning Division 2 indoor 60-meter dash champion eclipses 1983 standard set by Green of Texas A&M-Kingsville, along with taking down 1999 national record held by BYU star Myles-Mills with wind-legal 9.97 in prelims; Brooks breaks into U.S. top 20 in heptathlon, with Campbell and Lightfoot prevailing in pole vault 

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Benjamin Azamati dominated his competition during the indoor season en route to winning an NCAA Division 2 championship in the 60-meter dash, but the West Texas A&M freshman had yet to showcase his talents outdoors for the Buffaloes as a result of the spring track and field season being canceled last year.

Azamati didn’t wait long to make an immediate impact Friday in the 100-meter dash, not only at the 93rd Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays, but as the fastest competitor ever from Ghana and the top performer in Division 2 history.

Azamati, 23, won his prelim heat in a wind-legal 9.97 seconds, not only eclipsing the Ghanian national record of 9.98 established in 1999 by former Brigham Young standout Leonard Myles-Mills, but also breaking the Division 2 all-time wind-legal mark of 10.08 achieved in 1983 by Darrell Green of Texas A&M-Kingsville.

Only a wind-aided performance of 9.96 produced in 2003 by Olan Coleman of Tarleton State is a faster all-conditions effort among Division 2 competitors than the world-leading mark achieved by Azamati, who had not competed in a 100-meter race in 19 months. His fastest mark before Friday was 10.32 at the 2019 University Games in Italy.

Oklahoma senior Jackson Webb was the fastest Division 1 athlete in the 100 prelims, clocking a wind-aided 10.03.

The second day of competition at Mike A. Myers Stadium began and ended with strong performances from Arkansas athletes past and present, and also included a 13th consecutive pole vault victory from reigning Division 1 indoor champion KC Lightfoot of Baylor.

Arkansas graduate Taliyah Brooks, an ASICS professional, ascended to the No. 18 heptathlete in American history with her personal-best 6,252 points, ascending to No. 2 in the world this year following an improvement of more than 150 points on her performance at the 2017 Southeastern Conference Championships.

Brooks relied on a big third-round leap of 21-10.25 (6.66m) in the long jump, then produced a personal-best 126-9 (38.63m) in the javelin, before securing the victory with a 2:22.89 in the 800 meters.

Texas freshman Kristine Blazevica, representing Latvia, was the top collegiate performer, finishing second overall with 5,813 points.

Arkansas pole vaulter Nastassja Campbell, a graduate of New Caney High in Texas, concluded the schedule by clearing 14-9.50 (4.51m) on her first attempt to equal the No. 17 outdoor competitor in Division 1 history.

Baylor junior Tuesdi Tidwell and High Point freshman Sydney Horn both cleared 14-5.50 (4.41m) to tie for second.

Lightfoot equaled the No. 9 all-time outdoor collegiate men’s pole vaulter with a 19-0.25 (5.80m) clearance on his second try. Lightfoot has cleared 19-1 (5.82m) outdoors during a July competition, in addition to setting the collegiate indoor record Feb. 13 with a 19-8.25 (6.00m) effort.

Kansas teammates Hussain Al Hizam and Zach Bradford, along with Brigham Young’s Zach McWhorter all cleared 18-8.25 (5.70m).

Stephen F. Austin senior Asani Hylton took advantage of Texas freshman Leo Neugebauer fouling out in the discus throw and Texas A&M-Kingsville junior Johnathon Harper not clearing his opening height in the pole vault, in order to win the men’s decathlon with a collegiate-leading 7,536 points.

Texas senior Steffin McCarter prevailed in the men’s long jump with a wind-legal leap of 26-9.75 (8.17m) in the second round.

Valarie Allman, a Texas volunteer assistant and ASICS professional athlete who set the American record in the discus throw in August, won her first competition since the record-setting performance in Idaho by opening her series with a mark of 218 feet (66.46m).

Texas Tech junior Seasons Usual was the top collegiate performer, finishing second with a throw of 184-3 (56.16m).

Reggie Jagers of Ironwood Track Club won the men’s discus with a second-round throw of 198-10 (60.61m), with Texas A&M-Commerce redshirt competitor Josh Boateng of Grenada taking second at 192-10 (58.79m).

Missouri freshman Mitchell Weber was third with a mark of 189 feet (57.61m).

In prelim races to qualify for Saturday’s finals, LSU senior Tonea Marshall ran a wind-legal 12.87 seconds to take over the collegiate lead and elevate to No. 2 in the world this year in the women’s 100-meter hurdles.

Damion Thomas, the reigning Division 1 indoor champion in the 60-meter hurdles, secured the top qualifying mark in the 110-meter hurdles with a wind-aided 13.53 effort.

Arkansas sophomore Tiana Wilson led all women’s 100-meter qualifiers in 11.12.

There were three sub-40 performances in the men’s 4x100 relay qualifying heats, with Houston clocking 39.69, Baylor running 39.94 and Texas Tech advancing in 39.96.

Texas led all qualifiers in the men’s 4x400 relay in 3:06.54, a lineup that also includes the top entry in the 400 hurdles final in Charles Brockman III.

Oklahoma secured the top prelim time in the women’s 4x100 with a 44.99 performance.

Utah was the top qualifier in the women’s 4x400 in 3:42.01.