NCAA Championships Await Track Hogs

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – For the eighth-straight season, Arkansas will host the nation’s best at the Randal Tyson Track Center on March 9-10 at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships. The Razorbacks will be looking to defend their 2006 NCAA indoor crown and capture their 43rd national championship in school history.

Events will begin at 9 a.m. on Friday with the men’s heptathlon. Field events will begin at 2:30 p.m. with the running events starting at 4:30 p.m. On Saturday, the day will start at 11 a.m. with the completion of the men’s heptathlon. Field events will begin at 4:30 p.m. and the running events will start at 6:15 p.m.

Arkansas has won 19 NCAA Indoor crowns including 19 of the last 23 indoor championships contested. The Hogs have won three of the last four NCAA Indoor titles including the 2003, 2005 and 2006 championships. Arkansas has won four of the seven indoor championships held at the Randal Tyson Center. The Razorbacks won a NCAA-record 12 NCAA Indoor Championships in a row from 1984-95.

Arkansas has set the standard when it comes to winning NCAA Indoor Championships and lays claim to several records in the NCAA. The Razorbacks have won more NCAA Indoor Championships (19) than any other Division I program; they also hold the most individual championships 47 and individual titles won in a year (six, 1994).

Razorback track and field currently sits at No. 12 in the Trackwire 25 poll and No. 19 in the USTFCCCA poll, it was announced on Tuesday.

Wisconsin leads the Trackwire 25 team standings with 46 points and also sits at No. 1 in the USTFCCCA poll. Florida State, who has led the nation for most of the season, fell to No. 2 with 43 points and also sits at No. 2 in the USTFCCCA poll. The Texas Longhorns round out the top three, in both the Trackwire 25 and the USTFCCCA polls, with 42 points.

Six Razorbacks will represent the University of Arkansas in five events at the 2007 NCAA Indoor Championships, it was announced by the NCAA on Monday.

Colin Costello blistered the track at the Arkansas Last Chance with a 4:01.35 clocking in the mile. Entering the meet ranked No. 8 in the event by the Trackwire Dandy Dozen, Costello also holds the 12th-fastest time among the 15 accepted entries.

Peter Kosgei will be competing in two events, the 3,000- and 5,000-meter runs. He has the 10th-best times in both events. He is currently ranked No. 12 in the 3,000 meters and No. 9 in the 5,000 meters by the Trackwire Dandy Dozen.

Joining Kosgei in the 5,000 meters will be Scott MacPherson. MacPherson’s season best time of 13:49.03 was clocked at the Tyson Invitational. MacPherson was the 14th athlete of the 15 competing accepted into the race.

In the long jump, Alain Bailey, sitting at No. 2 in the Trackwire Dandy Dozen, and Mychael Stewart, ranked No. 8, both made the list. Of the 17 accepted entries, Bailey, also the top freshman in the event, holds the 11th–best mark (25-4) and Stewart has the 14th-best mark (25-2.75).

Nkosinza Balumbu, the nation’s No. 2 triple jumper, will get another shot at an individual title in the triple jump. The two-time SEC Champion holds the seventh-best mark on the list and the second-best mark among sophomores (52-2).

Bailey, Costello, MacPherson and Stewart will be making their NCAA Championship debuts this weekend. Balumbu is a three-time NCAA qualifier while Kosgei is a four-time NCAA qualifier.

For complete details, the most updated schedule and live results of the 2007 NCAA Indoor Championships, visit www.ladybacks.com.