Hogs Vault to No. 2 in Latest Trackwire Poll

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – After a successful weekend at the Tyson Invitational, Arkansas has vaulted back up to No. 2 in the latest Trackwire.com national indoor track and field team rankings. The Razorbacks, ranked No. 4 last week, tallied six automatic and eight provisional qualifications in the two-day meet hosted at the Randal Tyson Track Center last weekend.

The Hogs now own six automatic times and 14 provisional times and marks for next month’s NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships.

LSU ascended to the top of the Trackwire poll this week for the first time this indoor season. The Tigers have a projected 49 NCAA points. LSU and Arkansas will square off at the Southeastern Conference Indoor Championships in Gainesville, Fla., on Feb. 24-26.

Arkansas is tied for second in the poll with Texas with each school boasting 45 points. Florida State (32) and Wisconsin (32) are tied for fourth in this week’s poll while Arizona (29) and Nebraska (29) are tied for sixth. Baylor (28), Michigan (26) and Tennessee (22) rank eighth, ninth and 10th, respectively.

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.

The Razorbacks are also well represented in the latest edition of the Dandy Dozen. The national individual rankings by NCAA event include 11 Arkansas entries. Senior Josphat Boit and junior Peter Kosgei are ranked in both the 3,000 and 5,000-meter runs. Boit is ranked fourth in the 3,000 and third in the 5,000. Kosgei is ranked third nationally in both distance events. The Razorback duo earned automatic qualifications in the 3K and the 5K last weekend at the Tyson Invitational.

Senior Jaanus Uudmae, the defending SEC triple jump champion, ranks second in that event and sixth in the long jump this week. Uudmae competed for the Razorbacks for the first time this season last weekend at the Tyson Invitational. He provisionally qualified in both the long and triple jumps.

Junior Adam Perkins and senior Said Ahmed rank eighth and 10th, respectively, in the mile run. Ahmed has qualified provisionally for the NCAA mile. Sophomore Shawn Forrest is making his Dandy Dozen debut this week after posting an automatic qualifying time in the 5,000 meters. Forrest is ranked ninth in the 5K giving the Hogs three entries in that event.

Freshman Nkosinza Balumbu is holding strong in the national triple jump rankings. Balumbu is ranked fourth this week.