Razorbacks Rack Up a Dozen Entries for NCAA Indoor Track Championships

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas boasts 12 entries, including a distance medley relay team, on the start list for the 2006 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships it was announced on Monday night by the NCAA. The Razorbacks will take aim at their 19th indoor crown and their 42nd national championship overall on Friday and Saturday at the Randal Tyson Track Center.

The defending NCAA indoor champions feature three athletes in multiple events led by seniors Josphat Boit and Jaanus Uudmae. Boit will double in the 3,000 and 5,000-meter runs while Uudmae will compete for the Hogs in the long and triple jumps. Junior Peter Kosgei will also compete in both the 3K and 5K for the Razorbacks.

In fact, Arkansas will have a trio of athletes in both the 3,000 and 5,000 meters. Joining Boit and Kosgei in the NCAA meet are senior Marc Rodrigues in the 3,000 and sophomore Shawn Forrest in the 5,000.

Junior Adam Perkins was the final Razorback to earn a spot in the national meet. Perkins posted an NCAA provisional qualifying time in the mile run last weekend at the Iowa State Qualifier. Perkins will join two-time defending Southeastern Conference mile champion Said Ahmed in the event for the Razorbacks.

Freshman Nkosinza Balumbu will take to the runway in the triple jump. The inaugural SEC Field Athlete of the Week this indoor season, Balumbu finished second at the SEC Championships to Uudmae in the triple jump.

Arkansas will also field a squad in the distance medley relay. The relay team is likely to include Perkins or Rodrigues, junior Brian Roe, freshman Jeremy Dodson and Ahmed.

Action at the Randal Tyson Track Center begins on Friday morning with the heptathlon. Field events begin at 2:30 p.m. while preliminary running events start at 4:30 p.m. The two-day national championship meet concludes on Saturday with heptathlon and field events slated for the afternoon and finals on the track scheduled for 6:15 p.m.

Tickets for the 2006 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships may be ordered in advance by calling 1-800-982-HOGS or by logging onto www.hogwired.com.