Arkansas Earns 10 Entries for NCAA Indoor Championships
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Razorback track and field will have 10 entries for the NCAA Indoor Championships, held at the Randal Tyson Track Center, March 14-15, it was announced on Monday.
During the season, the Hogs acquired two NCAA automatic-qualifying marks with Nkosinza Balumbu in the triple jump (53-5.75) and the distance medley relay (9:30.08). Arkansas picked up eight additional qualifiers when the accepted entry list was released by the NCAA Monday night.
Balumbu, the 2008 SEC Indoor Champion and the South Central Region Field Athlete of the indoor season, and the 2008 SEC Champion DMR (Daniel LaCava, Chris Bilbrew, Andy McClary and Micky Cobrin) recorded their season bests at the 2008 SEC Indoor Championships. Alex McClary and Michael Chinchar will serve as alternates for the DMR at the NCAA Championships.
Balumbu holds the nation’s third-best mark in the triple jump while the DMR ranks second heading into the event. The triple jump will begin at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday. The DMR will be the final men’s event Friday night, slated to begin at 9:15 p.m.
J-Mee Samuels has the nation’s 11th-best time in the 200 meters with a 21.04. He will run the prelims at 7:20 p.m. on Friday night with 15 other sprinters. The finals of the 200 meters are scheduled for 8:55 p.m. on Friday.
In the mile run, both Andy McClary (4:00.38) and Cobrin (4:00.87) were accepted into the 16-man field. The mile prelims will be run at 6:45 p.m. on Friday and the finals will be contested at 6:15 p.m. on Saturday.
Chris Barnicle (13:56.43), Tyler Hill (13:57.07) and James Strang (13:53.06) will be competing in the 5,000 meters at 7:50 p.m. Friday night. All three scored points for the Hogs in the 5K at the SEC Championships with Strang being the fastest finisher in second place. On the national list, of the 15 accepted entries, Strang ranks eighth, Barnicle 11th and Hill 12th.
Alain Bailey will look to better his bronze finish in the long jump from the 2007 NCAA Indoor Championships. He holds the ninth-best mark of the 17-man field with a season best of 25-7.25. Bailey is the 2008 SEC Indoor Champion in the event.
Daniel Quinn will join Balumbu for the triple jump and the 17-man field at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday. Quinn earned runner-up honors at the 2008 SEC Indoor Championships with a season- and personal-best mark of 52-5.5.
Barnicle, Cobrin, Hill, Andy McClary, Quinn, Samuels and Strang will be making their NCAA Indoor Championship debuts this weekend. Balumbu is a five-time NCAA qualifier while Alain Bailey competed in the 2007 NCAA Indoor Championships.
The NCAA Championships, held at the Randal Tyson Track Center, will begin Friday, March 14. Visit www.hogwired.com for latest in Arkansas Track and Field.
