Robert Black

No. 2 Arkansas Tops The NCAA Entries List

NCAA Accepted Entries | NCAA Meet Schedule

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The No. 2 Arkansas men’s track and field team will have 12 opportunities to score at next weekend’s NCAA Indoor Championships in College Station, Texas, as they pursue more team gold to add to their extensive collection. The Razorbacks boast the most entries in the country closely trailed by Florida with 11.

Previous Qualifier Numbers (NCAA Finish, Final Score)
• 2016 – 12 (Second, 39 points)
• 2015 – 10 (Third, 39 points)
• 2014 – 13 (Second, 54 points)
• 2013 – 19 (First, 74 points)
• 2012 – 10 (Second, 47 points)

Pulling Double Duty
All-American sprinter Kenzo Cotton will once again return to the NCAA indoor meet in the 60-meter dash and 200. Cotton scored points for the Razorbacks in both events last year, placing third in the 200 and seventh in the 60. He heads into next weekend’s competition ranked ninth in the 200 and 15th in the 60.

Quarter-mile duo Obi Igbokwe and Eric Janise will also be doubling up for Arkansas, as 400 open entries and as members as of the Razorback 4-x-400-meter relay. Igbokwe and Janise jumped up the rankings to No. 4 and No. 13, respectively, after both posted PR performances at the SEC Indoor Championships, helping the Razorbacks to a team victory.

Defending NCAA Champion
Arkansas triple jumper Clive Pullen heads into his final NCAA Indoor Championships, looking to defend his national title from the 2016 meet. The Jamaican Olympian leads the NCAA and the world this season with his PR of 17.19m/56-4 3/4 from the Tyson Invitational. Pullen has already posted four jumps further than his 2016 best (16.64m/54-7 1/4) which won him the national title last year.

All-American Returners
In addition to Cotton, Igbokwe, Janise and Pullen, all of whom have already attained All-America status, Arkansas will also have veteran jumpers Ken LeGassey (high jump) and Andreas Trajkovski (long jump) in the mix to pull in major points. Trajkovski finished fifth last year with a mark of 7.72m/25-4.

New Additions
The 2017 NCAA Indoor Championships will also see three first-time Razorback qualifiers in Gabe Moore (heptathlon), Josh Washington (200) and Travonn White (long jump). As top junior college athletes prior to their time at Arkansas, the trio have seamlessly transitioned into the D-I level of competition and are ready to make waves at the national meet. Of the three, White appears the most dangerous on paper, following a breakthrough leap into the 26-feet range during last weekend’s SEC Indoor Championships. White’s best mark of 7.93m/26-0 1/4 would have tied him for second at the 2016 NCAA Indoor Championships.

Arkansas also qualified its distance medley relay and 4-x-400-meter relay teams, both of which rank among the top-five best in the country.

The Razorbacks will open competition at the 2017 NCAA Indoor Championship on Friday, March 10 with Cotton in the 60 semifinal at 6:10 p.m. CT. The indoor season will conclude on Saturday, March 11, following the end of the 4-x-400-meter relay final scheduled for 6:45 p.m.

Arkansas Qualifiers
60 Meters – 15. Kenzo Cotton, 6.65
200 Meters – 9. Kenzo Cotton, 20.65 | 11. Josh Washington, 20.71
400 Meters – 4. Obi Igbokwe, 45.73 | 13. Eric Janise, 46.18
4-x-400-Meter Relay – 5. Mowatt, Igbokwe, Janise, Stephen, 3:04.88
DMR – 5. Moehn, Stephen, Orange, Bruce, 9:30.04
High Jump – 7. Ken LeGassey, 2.22m/7-3 1/4
Long Jump – 5. Travonn White, 7.93m/26-0 1/4 | 11. Andreas Trajkovski, 7.80m/25-7 1/4
Heptathlon – 15. Gabe Moore, 5,688 points

For more information on Arkansas track and field including in-meet updates, follow @RazorbackTF on Twitter.