No. 11 Razorbacks Host Arkansas Qualifier
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Arkansas Qualifier on Friday, Feb. 21, serves as the final home indoor track and field meet for the No. 11 Razorbacks with postseason meets on the horizon. Action inside Randal Tyson Track Center begins with field events at 1:45 p.m. while running events start at 4:30 p.m.
“At the Arkansas Qualifier we are fine-tuning in the jumps and sprints as well as with our multi-event athletes prior to the conference meet,” noted Arkansas men’s head coach Chris Bucknam. “We have a great multi-event crew that’s kind of been laying in the weeds. They’re going to be anxious to get out there at the SEC meet and show their stuff.
“I’m really proud of how these guys have worked. We came back at the end of December and have been working hard ever since then, plus all the fall training they went through. We’re excited to move forward this week, fine tune some things, and hopefully get some more national qualifiers as we get ready for the SEC meet.”
The Razorbacks will also be competing in the distance medley relay at the JDL DMR Invitational, race time at 6:30 p.m. (CT) on Friday, with a line-up of Luke George, Travean Caldwell, Kieran Taylor and Cameron Griffith. In its lone race this indoor season, Arkansas ran 9:40.15 and currently ranks sixth in the nation.
“We have some guys who are on the bubble with NCAA qualifying,” noted Bucknam. “If you’re on the NCAA bubble, usually you’re pretty good. We are taking our distance medley relay to Winston-Salem and give it our best shot.”
Scheduled to join Arkansas in the Invitational section of the distance medley relay are BYU, Georgetown, North Carolina, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Washington.
Racing in the distance medley relay on a flat 200m track the times for each school will be adjusted on the collegiate descending order list. The top 12 times qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championship field. Last season the Razorbacks ran 9:36.99 at the JDL DMR Invitational and the time was converted to 9:29.26.
2020 NCAA performance list (Razorbacks among current top 25 marks)
60: 8) 6.62 Kristoffer Hari
400: 5) 46.05 Jeremy Farr, 19) 46.61 Jalen Brown
3,000: 14) 7:50.80 Cameron Griffith
5,000: 16) 13:41.90 Emmanuel Cheboson, 18) 13:44.95 Gilbert Boit, 25) 13:49.12 Matt Young
60H: =17) 7.76 Carl Elliott, III, =23) 7.79 Tre’Bien Gilbert
4×400: 3) 3:04.81 Arkansas
DMR: 6) 9:40.15 Arkansas
Long Jump: 6) 26-0 ¾ (7.94) Laquan Nairn
Triple Jump: 7) 52-10 ¼ (16.11) Laquan Nairn
Week 4 – USTFCCCA National Rating Index: 1. Northern Arizona; 2. LSU; 3. Florida; 4. Texas; 5. Oregon; 6. Georgia; 7. Florida State; 8. Iowa State; 9. Tennessee; 10. USC; 11. Arkansas; 12. Indiana; 13. Texas Tech; 14. North Carolina A&T; 15. Texas A&M.
USTFCCCA Conference Rating Index: 1. Arkansas; 2. Florida; 3. Mississippi; 4. Texas A&M; 5. LSU; 6. Tennessee; 7. Kentucky; 8. Georgia; 9. Alabama; 10. Missouri; 11. South Carolina; 12. Auburn; 13. Mississippi State.
