Year of the Razorback: SEC Championships & Individual Honors and Awards
Throughout its storied history, the University of Arkansas has won numerous conference championships in a multitude of sports. The Razorbacks competed for conference titles in the Southwest Conference, before transitioning to the Southeastern Conference 30 years ago.
Arkansas has done much more than hold its own in the SEC, winning more than 150 conference crowns in its tenure. However, the 2020-21 athletics year stands alone at the top of the list – producing the most bountiful SEC championship haul in school history.
By the time the balls stopped bouncing and all sports crossed the finish line, Arkansas had earned 10 SEC regular season and tournament championships, including a clean sweep of men’s and women’s cross country and track and field, a soccer championship repeat and the program’s first softball title. Arkansas dominated the most competitive conference in the nation, capturing 10 of the 29 combined SEC titles while doubling the next closest conference program (Alabama – 5) in SEC hardware.
Along the way, Razorback student-athletes earned SEC, regional and national honors for their efforts, led by Kevin Kopps, Howser Trophy winner and the consensus national collegiate baseball player of the year. Segundo Olivia Pinto earned a SEC Men’s Golf Individual championship, Chelsea Dungee was a top-five WNBA draft pick and countless other All-Americans, players of the year and school record holders shined.
SEC Championships
Baseball
The No. 1 Arkansas Baseball team culminated its historic regular season with a sweep of the No. 9 Florida Gators in front of a sold-out Razorback crowd at Baum-Walker Stadium. More than 33,000 fans were on hand to cheer on the Hogs to its first SEC overall title since 2004 and its first outright SEC crown since 1999. The Razorbacks also became only the second team, since the SEC expanded to 30 games, to win all 10 of their conference series.
Arkansas capped its regular season SEC Championship with the program’s first SEC Tournament Championship at the 2021 SEC Baseball Tournament. The Razorbacks swept four games in Hoover, including a 7-2 win over No. 4 Tennessee in the SEC Tournament Championship Game to sweep both titles. Arkansas became only the third SEC team since league play expanded in 2012 to win both the regular season and tournament championships in the same season.
Men’s Cross Country
Coach Chris Bucknam and the men’s cross country team brought home another SEC trophy at the 2020 SEC Men’s Cross Country Championship. The No. 1 Razorbacks outpaced their nearest competitor by 14 points to earn the crown. Arkansas has won 26 men’s cross country titles in 30 tries since the Razorbacks joined the SEC.
Women’s Cross Country
Coach Lance Harter and the women’s cross country team won their eighth-consecutive SEC cross country title at the 2020 SEC Women’s Cross Country Championship. The No. 1 Razorback women’s team scored 41 points and bettered the field by 16 points. Arkansas has won nine-straight cross country races, dating back to 2019.
The Razorback men’s track and field squad displayed tremendous depth in each event racking up 116 team points in 17 events, despite not capturing an individual event or relay title, to earn the 2021 SEC Men’s Indoor Track and Field Championship. It was the first time in history of the SEC Indoor, dating back to 1957, a team accomplished a championship in such a manner. The team crown was the 24th for the Hogs in 30 tries since joining the SEC. Arkansas finished runner-up in the other six opportunities.
The No. 1 women’s track and field team made its own history, winning a seventh-consecutive SEC indoor title. Arkansas earned 141 points, second-most in school history, and lapped the field by more than 60 points. Krissy Gear won the individual mile title, becoming the fourth-consecutive Razorback to win the mile at the conference indoor meet. In the 4×400 relay, Arkansas produced a school record of 3:28.50, which also broke the meet record set by LSU in 2005, making the Razorbacks the sixth fastest school in collegiate history.
The Razorback men’s outdoor track and field team outlasted its competition to capture its 20th SEC Outdoor team championship and its 16th SEC Triple Crown. Coach Chris Bucknam’s squad racked up 26 points in the 5,000 meters on its way to a total of 109 team points. Arkansas earned a 20-point victory over second place Alabama and 21-point margin over third place LSU.
It was another championship season for Razorback women’s track and field with Coach Lance Harter’s squad completing an SEC Triple crown with a victory at the 2021 SEC Outdoor Track and Field Championships. The women’s team earned its ninth SEC Outdoor title and captured its seventh SEC Triple Crown by topping the league standings by 6.5 points over No. 1 LSU. It was the 20th conference crown in the past 21 SEC Championships contested in cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field.
Soccer
Coach Colby Hale’s squad finished the fall regular season with a record of 9-1, including winning the SEC Western Division outright and tying for overall SEC title with Texas A&M. It was the second-straight SEC regular season title for the Razorbacks after also winning the crown in 2019.
Softball
It was a historic season for Razorback Softball as well, as SEC Coach of the Year Courtney Deifel led her team to the first SEC regular season championship in school history. Arkansas finished 43-11 on the season and shared the regular season title with Florida. Arkansas became the first team other than Alabama or Florida, to win at least a share of the SEC regular season title since 2007.
Razorback Individual Honors and Awards
- Kevin Kopps, BA – Dick Howser Trophy, National Player of the Year, Stopper of the Year, Consensus All-American, SEC Pitcher of the Year
- Grant Morgan, FB – Walter Camp All-American; Burlsworth Trophy Finalist
- Mary Haff, SB – All-American, SEC Co-Pitcher of the Year, School Record Wins and Saves
- Braxton Burnside, SB – All-American, School Record for Home Runs
- Moses Moody, MBK – SEC Freshman of the Year, All-American
- Chelsea Dungee, WBK – 5th pick of WNBA Draft
- Taylor Ewert, WXC – SEC Freshman of the Year
- Segundo Olivia Pinto, MGF – SEC Men’s Golf Champion
- Julian Perico, MGF – Selected and participated in the Palmer Cup
- Brooke Matthews, WGF – selected and participated in the Palmer Cup
- Jillian Gillen, VB – SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year
- Taylor Head, VB – SEC Freshman of the Year
- Anna Podojil and Parker Goins, SOC – All-Americans
