Harter, Alcide collect SEC indoor accolades

FAYETTEVILLE – Lance Harter has been named the 2013 Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year for the indoor season in which he led his fourth-ranked University of Arkansas women’s track and field team to the league team title. Additionally, the conference’s head coaches voted senior Makeba Alcide the SEC Field Athlete of the Year. The Razorbacks won the program’s fourth SEC indoor team title last weekend in Fayetteville.

Harter earns his fourth SEC Coach of the Year honor for the indoor season. He was previously recognized during the 1998, 2000 and 2001 seasons. The Razorbacks’ win last weekend was the 20th overall SEC title—13 cross country, four indoor track and field and three outdoor track and field—for the program, all of which have come under Harter.

“It was a fantastic team event,” Harter said during his weekly press conference Tuesday. “Obviously, we were able to keep the fans in the stands until the last minute. We had some great, big-time performance from our leaders like Regina George, Makeba Alcide and even Grace Heymsfield who did what we forecasted her to do. Across the board, we had people scoring a lot of crucial points. It was a total team effort.”

With Friday’s announcement, Arkansas’ hold on the SEC Field Athlete of the Year award runs to three consecutive years. Alcide, the back-to-back SEC champion in the pentathlon and collegiate-record holder (4,569 points) in the event, is the second-ever Razorback to win the award. Former Arkansas standout Tina Sutej was the SEC’s top field athlete in 2011 and 2012.   

The Razorbacks collected five spots on the All-SEC First Team in recognition of the team’s conference event champions. The list of Arkansas’ first-team performers includes Alcide, Gwendolyn Flowers, Regina George, Sparkle McKnight and Chrishuna Williams. Individually, George was the SEC champion at 400 meters for her first individual conference title indoors. The 4x400-meter relay team of Flowers, George, McKnight and Williams won the program’s third 4x400-meter relay in the last four years.

On the All-SEC Second Team, Arkansas had five selections with the conference runners-up in the pole vault with Sandi Morris and the distance-medley relay. The Razorbacks’ DMR was comprised of Martine Borge, Grace Heymsfield, Ivanique Kemp and Keri Wood. During last weekend’s meet, Arkansas totaled 114.5 points to finish five points ahead of LSU in the team standings.

Arkansas will host the NCAA Indoor Championships next weekend (March 8-9) at the Tyson Center for the 11th time in program history. For tickets, visit the Razorback Ticket Center on Razorback Road by Baum Stadium, log on to the online ticket center at ArkansasRazorbacks.com or call 800-982-HOGS (4647). Keep up with Arkansas cross country and track and field through the team’s sport-specific RazorbackTF Facebook and Twitter pages.

2013 SEC Indoor Track and Field Awards
Women’s Coach of the Year
Lance Harter

Women’s Field Athlete of the Year
Makeba Alcide

All-SEC First Team
Makeba Alcide, pentathlon
Gwendolyn Flowers, 4x400m
Regina George, 400m/4x400m
Sparkle McKnight, 4x400m
Chrishuna Williams, 4x400m

All-SEC Second Team
Martine Borge, DMR
Grace Heymsfield, DMR
Ivanique Kemp, DMR
Sandi Morris, pole vault
Keri Wood, DMR