Razorbacks No. 1 in USTFCCCA Preseason Poll
NEW ORLEANS – Arkansas women’s track and field heads into the 2016 season as the No. 1 team in the nation, announced Wednesday afternoon by the USTFCCCA. The ranking marks the sixth-consecutive year the Razorbacks have been a preseason top 10 selection.
The national team rankings are compiled by a 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 2015, and the National Team Computer Rankings will continue to do so through the third regular-season edition.
Arkansas returns nine All-Americans from last season’s indoor team, including two members of the national champion DMR team, Therese Haiss and Jessica Kamilos, as well as NCAA 400 meter silver medalist Taylor Ellis-Watson.
Despite the loss of NCAA indoor champion and outdoor record holder Sandi Morris, the Razorbacks remain deep in the pole vault. Assistant track and field coach Bryan Compton’s group features three vaulters well-versed on competing in the national level: Desiree Freier, Ariel Voskamp, and Megan Zimlich. The trio will be joined by a pair of former high school pole vault phenoms, Lexi and Tori Weeks, both of whom have top clearances well over 14 feet.
In addition to the vaults, the Razorbacks return All-American multis Taliyah Brooks, Leigha Brown, and Alex Gochenour.
Led by head coach Lance Harter, Arkansas won its first NCAA Championship during the 2015 indoor season off the heels of three gold medal performances by Morris (pole vault), Dominique Scott (3,000m) and the DMR team. The national title victory was the first by a women’s program in school history.
Arkansas will open its season on Friday, January 15 when they host the Arkansas Invitational at the Randal Tyson Track Center with a primetime start at 4 p.m. Razorback fans can purchase season tickets for $40. Tickets include admission to all seven home meets and an official Pepsi Track Capital of the World T-shirt.
For more information on Arkansas track and field including in-meet updates, follow @RazorbackTF on Twitter.
Women’s Indoor Track & Field National Team Computer Rankings (Top 25)
- Arkansas
- Georgia
- Texas
- Kansas State
- Oregon
- Florida
- Southern California
- Kentucky
- Wisconsin
- Georgetown
- Baylor
- LSU
- Stanford
- Michigan
- NC State
- Duke
- Miami (Fla.)
- Washington
- Michigan State
- Notre Dame
- Texas A&M
- Clemson
- Kent State
- Boston College
- Mississippi
