Razorbacks Honored As Top All-Around Program
NEW ORLEANS – Coming off a top-four finish at the 2017 NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon, the USTFCCCA has named the Arkansas men’s track and field team the winner of the John McDonnell Program of the Year award, announced Tuesday morning.
The Program of the Year Award, named for Arkansas’ legendary coach John McDonnell, recognizes the team that has the best-combined results across the NCAA cross country and indoor and outdoor track and field seasons with points distributed based on team finish. To be considered for the award, a team must qualify for the NCAA Championships in all three seasons. Upon completion of the outdoor championship, points from each season are added, with the award recipient being the team with the lowest combined total.
Arkansas capped the year with a final total of 14 points, winning by a 7-point margin over Oregon and 23 points ahead of third-place team, Ole Miss.
Program of the Year Top Five
1. Arkansas – 14
2. Oregon – 21
3. Ole Miss – 37
4. Tulsa – 39
5. Virginia – 39
Prior to the Razorbacks outdoor national podium-finish head coach Chris Bucknam’s team placed fifth at both the 2016 NCAA Cross Country Championships in Terre Haute, Indiana and the 2017 NCAA Indoor Championships in College Station, Texas. In total, Arkansas amassed 37 All-America honors through the fall and spring, led by junior Jack Bruce who became the program’s first three season All-American since Stanley Kebenei (2014-15 season).
Arkansas last won the award in 2012-13, which saw the Hogs place 10th nationally in cross county, first in indoor and third in outdoor. The Razorbacks are one of only three teams to ever win the prize (Florida State and Oregon) since its inception in 2008-09 and the only Southeastern Conference team to accomplish the challenging feat.
Past Winners
2016-2017: Arkansas (1st), Oregon (2nd), Ole Miss (3rd)
2015-2016: Oregon (1st), Arkansas (2nd), Stanford (3rd)
2014-2015: Oregon (1st), Arkansas (2nd), Texas (3rd)
2013-2014: Oregon (1st), Oklahoma State (2nd), Arkansas (3rd)
2012-2013: Arkansas (1st), Wisconsin (2nd), Oregon (3rd)
2011-2012: Florida State (1st), Indiana (2nd), Texas (3rd)
2010-2011: Florida State (1st), Stanford (2nd), BYU (3rd)
2009-2010: Oregon (1st), Arizona State (2nd), Northern Arizona (3rd)
2008-2009: Oregon (1st), Stanford (2nd), Florida State (3rd)
2017 Outdoor First Team All-America (12)
Jack Bruce (5,000)
Kenzo Cotton (4-x-100 Relay)
Roy Ejiakuekwu (4-x-100 Relay, 4-x-400 Relay)
Obi Igbokwe (4-x-400 Relay)
Eric Janise (4-x-400 Relay)
Kemar Mowatt (400 Hurdes, 4-x-100 Relay)
Clive Pullen (Triple Jump)
Rhayko Schwartz (4-x-400 Relay)
Andreas Trajkovski (Long Jump)
Josh Washington (4-x-100 Relay)
2017 Outdoor Second Team All-America (6)
Kenzo Cotton (100, 200)
Gabe Moore (Decathlon)
Carlton Orange (800)
Harrison Schrage (Long Jump)
Josh Washington (200)
2017 Outdoor Honorable Mention (3)
Roy Ejiakuekwu (200)
Obi Igbokwe (400)
Derek Jacobus (Decathlon)
2017 Indoor First Team All-America (14)
Jack Bruce (DMR)
Kenzo Cotton (60, 200)
Obi Igbokwe (4-x-400 Relay)
Eric Janise (400, 4-x-400 Relay)
Ethan Moehn (DMR)
Kemar Mowatt (4-x-400 Relay)
Carlton Orange (DMR)
Clive Pullen (Triple Jump)
Jamarco Stephen (DMR, 4-x-400 Relay)
Andreas Trajkovski Long jump)
Josh Washington (200)
Travonn White (Long jump)
2017 Indoor Second Team All-America (3)
Obi Igbokwe (400)
Ken LeGassey (High jump)
Gabe Moore (Heptathlon)
2016 Cross Country All-America (2)
Jack Bruce
Alex George
For more information on Arkansas track and field including in-meet updates, follow @RazorbackTF on Twitter.
