Sutej Ulrey Bucknam earn region honors

FAYETTEVILLE – Sophomore Tina Sutej, senior Dorian Ulrey and men’s head coach Chris Bucknam, members of the Arkansas Razorback men’s and women’s track and field teams, earned 2010 U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches’ Association (USTFCCCA) Region Awards, it was announced on Tuesday.

Sutej is the 2010 USTFCCCA South Central Region Women’s Field Athlete of the Year. She won the pole vault at the 2010 SEC Indoor Championships with a clearance of 14-7.5 and led a 1-3-5 finish for Arkansas in the event.

Her clearance is a personal best, an NCAA auto qualifier, ranks No. 2 in the NCAA, leads the SEC, is the Arkansas school record, is the SEC Championship meet record and betters her existing Slovenian National record. Sutej has not finished lower than fourth in a competition this season. In 2010, Sutej has cleared one provisional-qualifying height and six automatic-qualifying heights.

"Tina is very deserving of this award," women’s head coach Lance Harter said. "She has had a fantastic season and is ready for this NCAA meet. She improves weekly in her jumping and the women’s pole vault will definitely be an event to watch this weekend at the NCAA Championships."

Ulrey is the 2010 USTFCCCA South Central Region Men’s Track Athlete of the Year. He won two individual titles (mile and 3,000 meters) and anchored the winning DMR at the 2010 SEC Indoor Championships. Ulrey earned the commissioner’s trophy for most points scored by an individual (22.5).

Ulrey won his second-straight SEC title in the mile and his second-straight SEC title in the 3,000 meters. Ulrey split 4:03 to anchor the SEC title-winning DMR, his third mile race of the weekend. When he got the baton, Arkansas was in sixth place.

Ulrey’s 2010 season best of 3:57.80 in the mile is an NCAA auto qualifier, ranks No. 3 in the NCAA and leads the SEC. His 2010 season best of 7:55.23 in the 3,000 meters is an NCAA provisional qualifier, ranks No. 8 in the NCAA and leads the SEC. Arkansas’ 2010 season best in the DMR, 9:33.12 with Ulrey’s 3:54 anchor leg, is an NCAA provisional qualifier, ranks No. 9 in the NCAA and leads the SEC.

"Dorian did some great things during the SEC meet," men’s head coach Chris Bucknam said. "Our whole team did. He is definitely a leader for us and I expect his leadership role to play a big part in this team’s performance at the NCAA Championships this weekend."

Second-year head coach Bucknam is the 2010 USTFCCCA South Central Region Men’s Head Coach of the Year. He led Arkansas to its second-straight SEC Indoor title. Bucknam’s student-athletes won five event titles (mile, 3,000 meters, 5,000 meters, distance medley relay and long jump) and earned two runner-up finishes (3,000 meters and long jump).

In 2010, Bucknam’s student-athletes picked up four NCAA auto qualifiers and 26 NCAA provisional-qualifying marks. Arkansas boasts student-athletes ranked in the top 10 in the NCAA in the mile, 3,000 meters, 5,000 meters, distance medley relay, long jump and triple jump. Arkansas student-athletes hold the top marks in the SEC in the mile, 3,000 meters, 5,000 meters, distance medley relay and long jump.

The NCAA Championships will be held Fri.-Sat., March 12-13, at Fayetteville’s Randal Tyson Track Center. ESPN360.com will stream the championships live beginning at 8 p.m. CST on Fri., March 12 and 6:10 p.m. CST on Sat., March 13. NCAA.com and ArkansasRazorbacks.com will stream supplemental coverage as available when ESPN360.com is not live. Live results can be found at ArkansasRazorbacks.com. ESPN2 will air a 90-minute show at 12:30 p.m. CST, Wed., March 17.