Arkansas Among Best In Preseason Poll
NEW ORLEANS – The defending outdoor national champion Arkansas women’s track and field team will embark on its 2017 indoor campaign as the No. 2-best team in the country. The USTFCCCA announced its preseason rankings Monday afternoon, which placed the Razorbacks as the most dominant Southeastern Conference team.
The national team rankings are compiled by mathematical formula based on national descending order lists. The purpose and methodology of the rankings is to create an index that showcases the teams that have the best potential of achieving the top spots in the national team race. Rankings points do not equate with NCAA Championships team points. Preseason rankings will include marks from 2016, and the National Team Computer Rankings will continue to do so through the third regular-season edition.
Arkansas returns nine indoor All-Americans from last season, including national champion pole vaulter Lexi Weeks and national runner-up pentathlete Taliyah Brooks.
Indoor All-American Returners from 2016
• Taliyah Brooks – 60H, long jump, pentathlon
• Leigha Brown – pentathlon
• Therese Haiss – DMR
• Daina Harper – DMR/1,600 relay
• Nikki Hiltz – DMR
• Payton Stumbaugh – 60H/pentathlon
• Brianna Swinton – 1,600 relay
• Lexi Weeks – pole vault
• Tori Weeks – pole vault
2017 Outlook
The Razorbacks made history last indoor season by becoming the first team to have three combined events athletes score at a national meet. Brooks, Brown and Stumbaugh look to replicate that success and hope to be joined on the podium by budding multiple events talent Kelsey Herman as well as Oregon transfer Ashley Moore. Brooks and Stumbaugh will also resume their roles of increased service to the team, pulling double or triple-duty as top contenders in potentially the open hurdles, long jump and high jump during postseason competition.
With the departure of three-time SEC 400 champion Taylor Ellis-Watson leaving a void in the Razorback lineup, Arkansas will depend on senior sprinter Harper to step up and forge a new path in the event. Harper will be complimented by sophomore Damajahnee Birch who had a breakout season in the 400 hurdles during her freshman campaign. Not the sole young talent in the Razorbacks’ lineup, Birch will be joined on the front lines by Devin Clark (distance) and Kiara Parker (sprints), both of whom had a solid presence at the 2016 outdoor national meet.
Lexi and Tori Weeks will look to reach new heights in the pole vault during their second foray into NCAA competition. In addition, Arkansas will see the welcome return of Desiree Freier who was a two-time All-American in the event during her freshman year.
Season tickets for the 2017 Arkansas men’s and women’s track and field season are now on sale. Razorback fans have the opportunity to purchase a season pass for $40 which includes access to all seven Razorback men’s and women’s track and field home meets.
For more information on Arkansas track and field including in-meet updates, follow @RazorbackTF on Twitter.
