Arkansas Set to Host Razorback Invitational

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – For the second-consecutive week top-ranked Arkansas is playing host to an indoor track and field meet at the Randal Tyson Track Center. The Razorback Invitational is set to take place on Jan. 20-21, with 21 teams making the trip to Fayetteville.

UA has entered most of its squad and hopes to add to its number of NCAA qualifiers. Last weekend at the Arkansas Invitational three Razorbacks gained provisional times or marks, including senior Josphat Boit (3,000 meters), junior Peter Kosgei (3,000 meters) and freshman Nkosinza Balumbu (triple jump).

On Friday the heptathlon will start the day at noon with senior Jimmy Duke. The weight throw will follow at 3 p.m. in the Walker Pavilion with senior Tony Ugoh.

The first running event for Arkansas is the 200-meter dash at 6:10 p.m. and highly-touted freshmen sprinters J-Mee Samuels and Jeremy Dodson will be making their debuts as Razorbacks in the event. Junior Creighton Kiper and sophomore two-sport athlete Michael Grant will also compete.

The long jump is scheduled for 7 p.m. with sophomores Chessly Johnson and Mychael Stewart and Balumbu. Only one Hog, senior Luis Bordes, will run in the 5,000 meters at 7:15 p.m.

The distance medley relay will be the final running event of the evening with seniors Marc Rodrigues and David Wittenmyer, junior Adam Perkins and sophomore Brian Roe going for a fast time at 8 p.m. The high jump is also slated to begin at 8 p.m. with junior Greg Martin and sophomore Brent Rosson.

On Saturday the heptathlon will continue at 11 a.m. and the gun for the 800 meters will go off at 1:30 p.m. The race will be filled with Hogs, including seniors Said Ahmed and Wittenmyer, juniors Brad Dittoe and Roe and freshman Daniel LaCava.

Freshman Cedric Zellner will be the lone Hog in the 400 meters at 2 p.m. and the prelims of the 60-meter dash will feature Grant, Kiper, Samuels and Stewart. The finals will be held at 4:05 p.m.

Balumbu and Martin will get their chance to compete again when they take to the infield for the triple jump with freshman Michael Quinn at 3 p.m. A total of five Razorbacks will run in the mile at 3:25 p.m., including seniors Boit and Eric Gross, juniors Kosgei and Seth Summerside and sophomore Jonathan Norris.

The 3,000 meters will be the last open running event for the weekend at 4:15 p.m. with three true freshmen, Chris Barnicle, Kenny Cormier and Scott MacPherson hoping to record quality times.

The 4×400-meter relay will follow shortly after at 4:55 p.m. with the Hog team to be determined the day of the race.

After the Razorback Invitational the Hogs will hit the road for two-straight weeks. They will travel to the Boston Indoor Games on Jan. 27-28 and the New Balance Collegiate Invitational in New York City on Feb. 3-4.