Arkansas sprinter Jordan Anthony crosses the finish line in the men’s 100 meters, Friday, June 13, 2025, at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Ore. (Shawn Price/Arkansas athletics)

The men’s title at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships came down to the final event of the meet Friday in Eugene, Ore.

Arkansas entered the 1,600-meter relay in third place with 34 points, six points behind leader Southern Cal (40), one point behind second-place Auburn (35) and one point ahead of fourth-place Texas A&M (33). The Trojans, Razorbacks and Aggies all had teams in the relay at the end of the meet.

Southern Cal finished eighth in the relay in 3 minutes, 3.18 seconds to bring its team total to 41. Arkansas would have needed to place first or second in the relay to clinch the title.

The Razorbacks’ team of TJ Tomlyanovich, Steven McElroy, Jonah Vigil and Jaden Smith finished third in 3:01.59, putting their team total at 40, just behind the Trojans.

Texas A&M placed second in the relay in 3:00.73, leap-frogging Arkansas to tie Southern Cal with 41 team points to become co-national champions and put the Razorbacks third.

“I’m feeling for our guys right now,” coach Chris Bucknam said.

“We got within 1 point of winning this thing. Couldn’t be more proud of a group of guys and how they competed… We’re all disappointed about how close we came to a title.”

It was a title sweep for the Trojans, who won the indoor national title when Arkansas placed fourth in March. For the Razorbacks, it was the sixth podium finish in the last seven championships across indoor, outdoor and cross country.

Including Henry Kiner’s third-place finish in the long jump Wednesday, Arkansas athletes medaled in six events.

Jordan Anthony was Arkansas’ high point scorer with 21, including medaling in two of the three events he ran.

He won the 100-meter title with a run of 10.07 out of lane 9, where he landed after running 10.06 to finish fourth in his heat and sixth overall.

“Just the mentality [changed],” Anthony told ESPN after the win.

“Everybody had a lot to say after Wednesday, [but] there was no need for me to go fast.

All I had to do was qualify, advance, stay healthy and do what I do on championship days. That’s what I just did.”

It was his second individual NCAA sprint medal after he won the title in the 60 indoors this year.

Anthony finished fourth in the 200 with a time of 20.01.

Winner Carli Makarawu finished in 19.84, the fastest time by a collegian this season.

Anthony also ran the anchor leg on Arkansas’ bronze medal-winning 400 relay team.

Connor Washington, Tevijon Williams, Kevin Bello and Anthony finished in 38.72. That time originally put them fourth, but third-place LSU was disqualified for a lane violation.

Arkansas added seven points to its total in the 800. Rivaldo Marshall finished in 1:46.71 to take bronze, his second NCAA medal after he won the 800 indoors while at Iowa in 2024. Teammate Tyrice Taylor finished eighth in 1:47.44.

Arkansas did not score in four events in which it had entries. Its two runners in the 1,500, Reuben Reina and Davis Helmerich, did not advance to finals; Timothy Chesondin finished outside the points in the 10,000; Marcus Weaver did not finish the decathlon after a no-height in the pole vault when he was in second place through seven events Thursday; and Scottie Vines had a no-height in the high jump when he did not clear 6-10 3/4.

Athletes from the women’s team will compete in finals in three events on the final day of the meet Saturday.

Arkansas men’s scorers: All

Long jump: Henry Kiner, third place (26-1 1/2), 6 points

400 relay: Connor Washington, Tevijon Williams, Jaden Smith, Jordan Anthony, third place (38.72), 6 points

100: Jordan Anthony, first place (10.07), 10 points

800: Rivaldo Marshall, third place (1:46.71), 6 points; Tyrice Taylor, eighth place (1:47.44), 1 point

200: Jordan Anthony, fourth place (20.01), 5 points

1,600 relay: TJ Tomlyanovich, Steven McElroy, Jonah Vigil, Jaden Smith, third place (3:01.59), 6 points