Razorbacks will host 7 indoor meets, including SEC & NCAA

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The 2021 indoor track and field schedule for Arkansas will include a total of seven meets and features a pair of championship encounters with the Razorbacks hosting both the SEC and NCAA Indoor Championships inside a renovated Randal Tyson Track Center.

“Number one, I’m just thrilled that we have an indoor schedule,” stated Arkansas men’s head coach Chris Bucknam, who is in his 13th season with the Razorbacks. “Secondly, an additional bonus is the number of elite teams coming in to compete on our new surface and newly renovated indoor track and field facility. The quality of teams coming in will really make for some great competitions in January and February.”

Arkansas women’s head coach Lance Harter, in his 31st season with the Razorbacks, noted: “With the wisdom and insight from the SEC offices along with our leadership from Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek, we are full steam ahead in hosting some of the best indoor meets in 2021.

“Our traditional headlight meets, the Razorback and Tyson Invites, will be loaded with great talent from the top teams in the nation.”

The home meets during the regular season will showcase various top teams from across the nation as schools from the SEC, ACC, Big 12, Pac-12 venture to the Randal Tyson Track Center. Arkansas will host a total of 24 different programs among those four conferences in the five Razorback home meets.

Visiting Teams | 2021 Indoor Season

SEC Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Missouri, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt
ACC Florida State
Big 12 Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas
Pac-12 Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, Oregon, Southern California, Stanford, UCLA

In hosting a pair of championship meets, this marks the seventh time for Arkansas to serve as double host to the SEC and NCAA Championships in the same year since 2000. The Razorbacks will be hosting the NCAA Indoor meet a 13th time and serving as host of the SEC Indoors for a 10th time.

“The SEC and NCAA Championships are very important meets for us,” said Bucknam. “It’s huge to be hosting them and we want to have a great competition for all the teams coming in. I think everyone will be very pleased and surprised with the upgrades we’ve made.

“Our officials do a phenomenal job, and they will again this year with championship meets we have scheduled. What makes a great meet is the competition, the venue, and the professional officials we have. It’s a recipe for a great meet.”

Arkansas is the defending men’s and women’s SEC Indoor team champions, having swept the titles in College Station last February. Meanwhile, the Razorback women are also the defending NCAA Indoor champion from 2019 since the 2020 meet was canceled.

“As the defending SEC and NCAA indoor team, we have a team with experience and talent,” noted Harter. “We look forward to the challenge.”

Unfortunately, with the coronavirus pandemic, the current status for Arkansas home meets will not allow any fans to attend.

“Due to Covid-19 protocols we will be limited to athletes, coaches, staff and officials only in attendance,” said Harter.

Bucknam added: “My hat is off to our administration, to the Tyson family, and the SEC for never letting go of the rope and finding a way for our kids to compete. We desperately need some competition for the group of kids who haven’t competed since the 2020 SEC Indoor Championship last February.”

Arkansas Razorbacks | 2021 Indoor Schedule

January  
16 Arkansas Invitational
  Teams: Arkansas, Arkansas State, Central Arkansas, Oklahoma, UA-Pine Bluff, UA-Little Rock
22 Woo Pig Classic
  Teams: Arkansas, Kentucky, LSU, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Southern California, Texas
29-30 Razorback Invitational
  Teams: Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa State, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Oregon, Southern California, Stanford
February  
5 Arkansas Qualifier
  Teams: Arkansas, Arizona, Arizona State, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, UCLA, Vanderbilt
12-13 Tyson Invitational
  Teams: Arkansas, Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Florida State, LSU, Oregon, Texas, Texas A&M
25-27 SEC Championships (Fayetteville, Ark.)
March  
12-13 NCAA Championships (Fayetteville, Ark.)