Arkansas Remains No. 2 in Trackwire Poll
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – For the second-consecutive week, Arkansas is ranked No. 2 in the nation by Trackwire.com. The Razorbacks opened the indoor season ranked in the nation’s top spot, but Florida State claimed the No. 1 ranking in the second week of the season.
The Seminoles (56 points) retained their claim on No. 1 in the latest edition of the poll, however, the Hogs (50 points) shaved a 10-point margin to a six-point deficit in this week’s listing. The remainder of the top five includes Wisconsin (47 points), Texas (36 points) and LSU (33 points). In addition to Arkansas and LSU, four other teams from the Southeastern Conference earned a spot in the poll including Tennessee (6th), South Carolina (T-15th), Auburn (T-15th) and Florida (18th).
The poll is based on projected scoring at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships set for March 10-11 at the Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville.
Seven Razorbacks and one Arkansas relay team were included in the outlet’s latest Dandy Dozen rankings. The Dandy Dozen ranks the top 12 competitors and relay teams in each NCAA event.
The Arkansas contingent includes three Razorback competitors that rank in multiple events. Freshman J-Mee Samuels is ranked third in the 200 meters and fifth in the 60 meters. Samuels has yet to race in the 200, but has already posted a provisional qualifying time of 6.71 seconds in the 60. Sophomore Josphat Boit and junior Peter Kosgei are both ranked among the nation’s best at 3,000 and 5,000 meters. The Razorback duo qualified in the 3,000-meter run at the Arkansas Invitational with Boit clocking in at 7:58.91 and Kosgei crossing the line in 8:00.51. Boit and Kosgei have yet to compete in the 5,000-meter run, but both also hold NCAA provisional qualifying times in the mile run.
Freshman Colin Costello made his debut in the Dandy Dozen despite not having competed in a Razorback uniform to this point. Costello joined the Razorbacks this month and is ranked sixth in the mile run. Junior Adam Perkins dropped two spots from seventh to ninth in the mile-run rankings this week while senior Said Ahmed fell from ninth to 11th in the same listing.
Freshman triple jumper and reigning SEC Field Athlete of the Week Nkosinza Balumbu is ranked third in the triple jump. Balumbu recorded a provisional qualifying jump of 52-02.75 in the Razorback Invitational on Jan. 21.
Arkansas also earned a nod in the distance medley relay rankings. The Razorbacks are ranked third in this week’s poll.
The Hogs will travel to New York City this weekend to compete in the New Balance Collegiate Invitational. Action at The Armory Track and Field Center begins on Friday and concludes
on Saturday. On Feb. 10-11, the Razorbacks return home for the Tyson Invitational, the final tune-up before the Southeastern Conference Championships in Gainesville, Fla., on Feb. 24-26.
Trackwire.com Men’s Indoor Track and Field Poll
(Jan. 30, 2006)
1. Florida State – 56
2. Arkansas – 50
3. Wisconsin – 47
4. Texas – 36
5. LSU – 33
6. Tennessee – 30
7. Baylor – 24
8. Virginia Tech – 22
9. Michigan – 21
T-10. Nebraska – 20
T-10. Arizona – 20
12. Texas A&M – 18
T-13. Oregon – 15
T-13. TCU – 15
T-15. South Carolina – 14
T-15. Kansas – 14
T-15. Auburn – 14
18. Florida – 13
19. USC – 12
20. Notre Dame – 11
T-21. Indiana – 9
T-21. Oral Roberts – 9
23. BYU – 8
24. Kansas State – 7
T-25. Akron – 6
T-25. UTEP – 6
