Campbell runs to All-America honors

FAYETTEVILLE – With his performance Saturday at the 2012 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championship, and Monday’s release by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), University of Arkansas newcomer Kemoy Campbell has garnered All-America honors. Pacing the Razorbacks to a 10th-place national team finish, Campbell turned in a 17th-place individual finish. He posted a time of 29:41.5 on the 10K course at E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park in Louisville, Ky.

By way of his top-40 individual finish, Campbell earned the first All-America honor of his Razorback career. He is the fifth cross country All-American performer under head coach Chris Bucknam. Campbell joins that list which includes Eric Fernandez (2011), Solomon Haile (2010), Scott MacPherson (2008) and Dorian Ulrey (2009, 2010). Campbell earns the 95th All-America honor in Razorback program history.

During his first season in Cardinal and White, Campbell was a constant in the Razorbacks’ top runners. In five races during the 2012 season, the Manchester, Jamaica, native finished no worse than third in Arkansas’ lineup and was at least 17th overall in each competition.

In addition to his most recent honor, Campbell previously earned All-SEC and All-Region accolades for his performance during the championship season. In helping the Razorbacks to an SEC team title, he finished fourth overall at the conference meet. He followed that with a third-place individual finish at the NCAA South Central Regional Championship in Fayetteville.

Campbell made his Razorback debut with an individual title at the Panorama Farms Invitational in Earlysville, Va. In the win, he navigated the 8K course in a time of 24:04.7, seven second clear of his nearest competitor. Campbell went on to be selected the SEC Runner of the Week for his performance in Virginia. He also had a 17th-place finish at the Wisconsin adidas Invitational in October.

Arkansas’ result at the NCAA Championships marked the second top-10 national finish under Bucknam and the 33rd top-10 team finish in program history. Along with Campbell, the Razorbacks’ top-five lineup featured Haile, Fernandez, Cale Wallace and Layne Nixon, respectively. For more information about University of Arkansas athletics, log on to ArkansasRazorbacks.com or visit the team’s sport-specific RazorbackTF Facebook and Twitter pages.