Hogs Pull In Several Postseason Accolades

March 6, 2017

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – With the SEC indoor championships successfully behind them the No. 2 Arkansas men’s track and field team was rewarded for its efforts at the conference meet, collecting two SEC awards and three regional awards.

Head coach Chris Bucknam picked up his second-consecutive SEC Indoor and South Central Region Coach of the Year honors following Arkansas’ 22nd SEC indoor crown. In addition to Bucknam, junior Kenzo Cotton claimed the SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year award for his strong academic and athletic performances this season.

In the South Central Region awards, assistant coach Travis Geopfert and triple jumper Clive Pullen rounded out the honoree list for the Razorbacks. Geopfert was named the South Central Region Assistant Coach of the Year while Pullen earned Field Athlete of the Year.

Razorback Leadership
In nine seasons at the helm of the Arkansas men’s program, Bucknam has been recognized seven times (indoor) by the SEC and South Central Region. Under his guidance and that of his staff the Razorbacks continue to be one of the most formidable programs in the country year-after-year.

Arkansas currently ranks No. 1 in the long jump and the heptathlon largely due to the work of Geopfert. This indoor season saw five members of his squad qualify for the national meet, including four of which PR’d along the way. Geopfert was also responsible for the development of Pullen, who set the Jamaican national record with his mark of 17.19m/56-4 3/4 at the Tyson Invitational.

On the Track and in the Field
A consistent national-qualifier for Arkansas since his freshman year, Cotton remains one of Arkansas’ most valuable assets on the track and in the classroom. The 10-time All-American placed third in the 60 and fourth in the 200 at the 2017 SEC indoor meet and is Arkansas’ only double (individually) national-qualifier set to once again reprise his role in the 60 and 200. Cotton also maintains a cumulative GPA of 3.63 while majoring in kinesiology (pre-med track).

The defending NCAA national champion in the triple jump, Pullen wowed the world earlier this season with his aforementioned massive mark at Tyson. He continued on to produce eight points towards Arkansas’ SEC indoor win and remains the NCAA triple jump leader by over one foot heading into his final indoor national championship this weekend.

SEC Indoor Awards
Men’s Runner of the Year: Fred Kerley, Texas A&M
Men’s Field Athlete of the Year: KeAndre Bates, Florida
Men’s Freshman Runner of the Year: Grant Holloway, Florida
Men’s Freshman Field Athlete of the Year: Clayton Brown, Florida
Men’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Kenzo Cotton, Arkansas
Men’s Coach of the Year: Chris Bucknam, Arkansas

South Central Region Indoor Awards
Men’s Track Athlete of the Year: Fred Kerley, Texas A&M
Men’s Field Athlete of the Year: Clive Pullen, Arkansas
Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year: Travis Geopfert, Arkansas
Men’s Coach of the Year: Chris Bucknam, Arkansas

For more information on Arkansas track and field including in-meet updates, follow @RazorbackTF on Twitter.