Preseason Poll Names Razorbacks As Elite Squad
NEW ORLEANS – National runner-ups at last year’s NCAA indoor competition, Arkansas’ men’s track and field team has been ranked as the fourth-best in the nation in the USTFCCCA 2017 preseason polls. The Razorbacks return seven indoor All-Americans from last season, including triple jump national champion Clive Pullen.
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 heads into this Friday’s home opener as the third-highest ranked Southeastern Conference program. It is joined in the top five by No. 1 Florida and No. 3 LSU.
Indoor All-American Returners from 2016
• Kenzo Cotton – 60, 200 and 1,600 relay
• Obi Igbokwe – 1,600 relay
• Ken LeGassey – high jump
• Carlton Orange – 800
• Clive Pullen – triple jump
• Jamarco Stephen – 1,600 relay
• Andreas Trajkovski – long jump
2017 Outlook
The Razorbacks’ jumps squad led the way at the 2016 NCAA Indoor Championship, accounting for 24 of Arkansas’ 39 points. Responsible for 14 of those points, Pullen (10) and Trajkovski (four) return this season with the latter hoping to follow Lawson’s lead and capture a long jump gold at the national meet.
Coming off of its best cross country showing since 2006, Arkansas’ distance crew boasts several student-athletes to watch in the distance events including Jack Bruce, Alex George, Andrew Ronoh and Frankline Tonui. Of the four, Tonui made the biggest progression last track and field season, racing to a silver medal in the steeplechase at the outdoor national championship. Bruce and George will lead Arkansas’ DMR resurgence as the Razorbacks look to reassert their claim as one of the nation’s best teams in the event.
Arkansas’ sprint contingent will be headlined by Cotton who promises to be an individual title contender once again in both the 60 and 200-meter dashes. Taking the reins from former Razorback quartermile-specialist Marqueze Washington will be Igbokwe, who earned a spot in the event at the indoor national meet during his freshman year last season.
Another sophomore with the potential to shake things up is middle distance standout Carlton Orange who will look to improve on his 2016 sixth-place NCAA indoor performance in the 800.
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.
