Mt. SAC Relays Up Next for Arkansas Track

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas track and field will make its first of three scheduled trips to California this weekend. The Razorbacks will be sending a full squad of competitors to Mt. SAC Relays at Hilmer Lodge Stadium in Walnut, Calif., April 13-15.

After poor weather ruined the final day of Texas Relays last weekend, Arkansas is looking to record regional-qualifying marks in many events.

Tyler Hill, Matt Munoz, James Strang and Chris Barnicle will compete in the Olympic Development 5,000 meters while Scott MacPherson will take on the Invitational heat of the 5K, all trying to run under the NCAA regional-qualifying time of 14:12.00.

Fresh off their 4×1,500-meter relay win in Austin, Micky Cobrin, Peter Kosgei and Adam Perkins will compete in the open 1,500 meters looking for the NCAA regional-qualifying time of 3:47.80.

Nkosinza Balumbu and Gary Jones, both competing in the Invitational triple jump in their outdoor debuts, will be looking for a mark of 49-2.5 or better while at the long jump pit Mychael Stewart and Alain Bailey are looking to jump 24-1 or better while competing in the Invitational long jump.

J-Mee Samuels will compete in the open shorts sprints. Competing in the 100 meters and 200 meters, Samuels is looking for times of 10.50 and 21.19, respectively or better to punch his ticket to the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships.

Arkansas track and field is ranked No. 9 by Trackwire 25 and No. 7 by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, it was announced on Tuesday. Five Razorbacks were also tabbed in the Trackwire Dandy Dozen.

Defending NCAA Outdoor Champion Florida State is seated at the top of the Trackwire 25 and the USTFCCCA poll while Auburn and USC round out the top three, respectively, in both polls. Among the SEC schools, Tennessee is seated at No. 5, LSU at No. 10, Florida is 18th, Georgia is 18thwhile Ole Miss is No. 23.

Also released on Tuesday are the Dandy Dozen rankings. Four Razorbacks are ranked in three events. 10-time All-American Kosgei leads the ranks in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.

In the field events, Alain Bailey moved up to No. 2 in the long jump ranks after marking a regional-qualifying jump of 24-5 at Texas Relays. All-American Stewart is in the eighth spot in the long jump and will make his debut in the event this weekend at Mt. SAC Relays. In the triple jump, All-American and two-time SEC Champion Balumbu is ranked third.

For complete a complete listing of the Trackwire 25 and the USTFCCCA poll, visit www.trackshark.com or www.ustfccca.org. For an updated schedule and live results of Mt. SAC Relays, visit relays.mtsac.edu.