No. 2 men's track set for NCAA Championships

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – No. 2 Arkansas Razorback men’s track and field will pursue its 41st national title overall and its 20th indoors this weekend at the 2009 NCAA Indoor Championships. The event will be held Fri.-Sat., March 13-14, 2009 at Texas A&M’s Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium at the McFerrin Athletic Center.

The Razorbacks will be looking to capture their 41st national championship in school history. Arkansas has won 19 NCAA Indoor crowns, including 19 of the last 25 indoor championships contested. The Hogs have won three of the last six NCAA Indoor titles including the 2003, 2005 and 2006 championships. Arkansas has won four of the nine indoor championships held at the Randal Tyson Track Center. The Razorbacks won a NCAA-record 12 NCAA Indoor Championships in a row from 1984-95.

The Razorbacks recorded eight automatic qualifiers during the regular season. Among the accepted entries, senior All-American J-Mee Samuels ranks 13th in the 60 meters, junior Dorian Ulrey is second in the mile and third in the 3,000 meters, senior All-American Shawn Forrest is fourth in the 3,000 meters and fourth in the 5,000 meters and the distance medley relay has the nation’s top time.

In the field events, senior All-American Nkosinza Balumbu is sixth in the triple jump and junior All-American Alain Bailey is fifth in the long jump.

Arkansas picked up additional qualifiers in freshman Marek Niit in the 200 meters (20.90, eighth), sophomore Chris Bilbrew in the 800 meters (1:48.40, eighth), sophomore Duncan Phillips in the mile (4:00.02, 13th) and freshman Tarik Batchelor in the long jump (25-6, 15th) and the triple jump (52-6.5, 14th).

Live results can be found at ArkansasRazorbacks.com, AggieAthletics.com and NCAASports.com. A complete meet recap will be available at ArkansasRazorbacks.com shortly after the final event on each day of competition.

ESPN360.com will stream the event LIVE, both days. To access ESPN360, visit www.ESPN360.com. Click on the FAQs link for software and system requirements, etc. Anyone with an .edu e-mail address is able to obtain access to ESPN360 for free. ESPN2 will air a 90-minute show on Monday, March 23 at 1:30 p.m. CST.

For more information and a complete schedule, visit ArkansasRazorbacks.com or AggieAthletics.com.

Download: 3.13.09 M NCAAs.pdf