Championship season begins with Arkansas in No. 1 position
New Orleans – Arkansas moved up four positions to take over the No. 1 spot in the USTFCCCA national rating index as the indoor track and field season moves into championship mode with the SEC Championships and NCAA Championships the next pair of meets on the Razorbacks schedule.
Results from the recent Arkansas Qualifier which enabled the Razorbacks to make the impressive leap to No. 1 included a school record in the distance medley relay (9:24.56), Amon Kemboi’s career best in the 3,000m (7:42.29) which ranks No. 5 on the all-time collegiate list, and an improved 60m hurdle time (7.66) for Phillip Lemonious.
In previous weeks, school records in the heptathlon (6,272) by Ayden Owens, Kemboi in the 5,000m (13:26.44), and the 4×400 relay (3:03.18) also contributed to the rise in the national rating index from 12th a couple of weeks ago to fifth last week.
Following Arkansas in this week’s rating index are North Carolina A&T, Texas, Georgia, Texas Tech, Alabama, Notre Dame, Iowa, Kentucky, and Florida among the top 10.
This week the Razorbacks travel to College Station, Texas, seeking a third consecutive SEC Indoor team title and Arkansas’ 25th overall.
In conference rankings compiled by USTFCCCA, Arkansas is the top ranked team and followed by Kentucky, Alabama, Ole Miss and Tennessee among the top five.
Razorbacks currently ranked among the top 16 nationally include the following:
| 400m | 11) | 46.21 | James Benson II |
| 15) | 46.37 | Brandon Battle | |
| 800m | 3) | 1:47.12 | Kieran Taylor |
| 3,000m | 3) | 7:42.29 | Amon Kemboi |
| 5,000m | 14) | 13:26.44 | Amon Kemboi |
| 60m Hurdles | 6) | 7.66 | Phillip Lemonious |
| 4×400 Relay | 3) | 3:03.18 | Arkansas |
| DMR | 12) | 9:24.56 | Arkansas |
| Long Jump | 4) | 26-3.5 (8.01) | John Baker |
| 13) | 25-8 (7.82) | Ryan Brown | |
| Heptathlon | 1) | 6,272 | Ayden Owens |
USTFCCCA Top 25 National Ratings Index | Week 5 – February 21, 2022
Men: 1. Arkansas, 2. North Carolina A&T, 3. Texas, 4. Georgia, 5. Texas Tech, 6. Alabama, 7. Notre Dame, 8. Iowa, 9. Kentucky, 10. Florida, 11. Tennessee, 12. Northern Arizona, 13. Florida State, 14. Washington, 15. Princeton, 16. Oregon, 17. Ole Miss, 18. Michigan State, 19. Nebraska, 20. Southern California, 21. LSU, 22. Grand Canyon, 23. Clemson, 24. Arizona State, 25. Texas A&M.
USTFCCCA Conference National Ratings Index | February 21, 2022
SEC: 1. Arkansas, 2. Kentucky, 3. Alabama, 4. Ole Miss, 5. Tennessee, 6. Florida, 7. Georgia, 8. Texas A&M, 9. LSU, 10. Auburn, 11. Missouri, 12. South Carolina, 13. Mississippi State.
