Versatile Hogs Boast Balanced NCAA Event Entries
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Shifting gears from conference to national focus the No. 8 Arkansas men’s track and field team heads to Austin, Texas next weekend with a fleet of Hogs entered in the NCAA West Preliminary Round on May 25-27.
The NCAA West Preliminary meet is one of two regional events, which serve as the first round of the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Athletes gain entry into the competition by having one of the top-48 best marks of the region (East or West) in their respective events. In order to advance to the final round in Eugene, Oregon an athlete must finish among the top-12 best (per region) in their respective events.
Razorback Entries
Arkansas will venture into the 2017 NCAA Outdoor Championships with 35 entries — the most of any program in the country for the second-consecutive year. Two of those entries, combined events performers Derek Jacobus and Gabe Moore automatically pass on through to Eugene off their best decathlon scores from earlier this season. The remaining 33 will navigate the arduous gauntlet of first round competition.
Year-by-Year Entry Count (National Finish)
• 2017 – 35 (TBD)
• 2016 – 41 (2nd)
• 2015 – 17 (3rd)
• 2014 – 29 (T-9th)
• 2013 ¬ 29 (3rd)
• 2012 – 38 (8th)
• 2011 – 26 (T-10th)
Four Events with Four Hogs
At the West prelims four out of the 14 events in which Arkansas has entries will feature four Razorbacks on the line or on the runway. Head coach Chris Bucknam’s crew boasts tremendous depth in the 200, 400, 5,000 and long jump, leading the region in qualifiers for the aforementioned events.
Returning NCAA (Final Round) Qualifiers
Eleven Razorbacks from the 2016 NCAA outdoor runner-up team return to guide a new group towards national success led by a pair of national champions Kenzo Cotton and Clive Pullen. Cotton placed in three events last year including the 100, 200 and 4-x-100-meter relay. The junior sprinter will look to advance through in those three events for the second-consecutive year while Pullen is seeking his third-consecutive bid to the outdoor national championships in the triple jump first round.
Event Breakdown
100 Meters
Kenzo Cotton
Roy Ejiakuekwu
200 Meters
Josh Washington
Kenzo Cotton
Roy Ejiakuekwu
Kevin Harris
400 Meters
Obi Igbokwe
Rhayko Schwartz
Eric Janise
Jamarco Stephen
800 Meters
Carlton Orange
5,000 Meters
Jack Bruce
Alex George
Cameron Griffith
Austen Dalquist
400 Meter Hurdles
Kemar Mowatt
Travius Chambers
Larry Donald
3,000 Meter Steeplechase
Cale Wallace
Aidan Swain
4-x-100 Meter Relay
Roy Ejiakuekwu, Kemar Mowatt, Josh Washington, Kenzo Cotton
4-x-400 Meter Relay
Jamarco Stephen, Obi Igbokwe, Rhayko Schwartz, Eric Janise
High Jump
Ken LeGassey
Rubin Owens
Brendon Rivera
Long Jump
Harrison Schrage
Travonn White
Andreas Trajkovski
Brandon Workman
Triple Jump
Clive Pullen
Rubin Owens
Shot Put
Sam Kempka
Hammer Throw
Erich Sullins
Decathlon (Through to NCAAs in Eugene)
Derek Jacobus
Gabe Moore
For more information on Arkansas track and field including in-meet updates, follow @RazorbackTF on Twitter.
