Harter named district coach of the year

FAYETTEVILLE – University of Arkansas head women’s track coach Lance Harter was named the United States Track Coaches Association’s (USTCA) South Central District Coach of the Year.

The award is the 15th for Harter since taking over the Lady Razorback program in 1990 and is the third time that Arkansas’ head man has taken an award during the outdoor season. He has also been named national coach of the year three times over the past five years.

“Once again I am honored to be named the district coach of the year,” Harter said. “This is voted on by members of the track coaches’ association and to be thought of in that high regard by my peers is truly humbling. I have been very fortunate over the years to have great assistant coaches in Rolando Greene and Bryan Compton that have contributed to this award and without great athletes, this certainly wouldn’t be possible.”

During the outdoor track season, Harter’s Lady Razorbacks finished as the Southeastern Conference runner-ups when they were edged by South Carolina three weeks ago in Nashville, Tenn. They returned to action last weekend to take fifth in the star-studded Mideast Regional to secure their third consecutive top five team finish. The Lady Razorbacks brought 22 athletes to the regional, one of the largest contingents in the country at a regional championship and secured 10 NCAA Championship performers at the meet, also one of the largest in the nation.

While the district coach of the year honor is based upon Arkansas’ performances in 2005, one must note the legacy that Harter continues to weave. In 15 years at the helm of the Lady Razorback program he has led Arkansas to 16 Southeastern Conference titles, the most by any school during that same period, 76 SEC individual championships, coached Lady Razorbacks to 10 of Arkansas’ 11 individual national titles and earned 153 all-America honors. As a team the Lady Razorbacks have taken nine top five finishes at the national championships and won a record seven straight SEC titles including two SEC Triple Crowns, the most by any institution in the 20-plus years of women’s track and field in the league.

The Lady Razorbacks are back in action on June 8, when they begin their quest for a national championship at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Sacramento, Calif. For more information about Lady Razorback track and field or about women’s athletics, visit www.ladybacks.com.