Track Hogs Set for NCAA Championships in Fayetteville

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas will host the nation’s best at the Randal Tyson Track Center on March 14-15 at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships. The Razorbacks will be looking to capture their 43rd national championship in school history.

Live results from the NCAA Championships can be found at www.Hogwired.com, www.LadyBacks.com or www.ncaa.com. The NCAA Championships will be aired, tape-delayed, Thursday, March 20, 3-4:30 p.m., on ESPN2.

Arkansas has won 19 NCAA Indoor crowns, including 19 of the last 24 indoor championships contested. The Hogs have won three of the last five NCAA Indoor titles including the 2003, 2005 and 2006 championships.

Arkansas has set the standard when it comes to winning NCAA Indoor Championships and lays claim to several records in the NCAA.

The Razorbacks have won more NCAA Indoor Championships (19) than any other Division I program; they also hold the most individual championships, 51, and individual titles won in a year (six, 1994). UA has won four of the eight indoor championships held at the Randal Tyson Center. The Razorbacks won a NCAA-record 12 NCAA Indoor Championships in a row from 1984-95.

Arkansas will be represented by J-Mee Samuels (60 meters, 200 meters), Micky Cobrin, Andy McClary (mile), Chris Barnicle, Tyler Hill, James Strang (5,000 meters), the distance medley relay (Daniel LaCava, Chris Bilbrew, McClary and Cobrin), Nkosinza Balumbu, Daniel Quinn (triple jump) and Alain Bailey (long jump) at this year NCAA Indoor Championships.

Of Arkansas 11 entries in the meet, two automatic-qualifying marks were recorded during the regular season. Balumbu, the 2008 SEC Indoor Champion and the South Central Region Field Athlete of the indoor season, recorded his season-best triple jump at the 2008 SEC Indoor Championships while the 2008 SEC Champion DMR (Daniel LaCava, Chris Bilbrew, McClary and Cobrin) found its automatic mark and season best at the Arkansas Last Chance (9:30.08). Alex McClary and Michael Chinchar will serve as alternates for the DMR at the NCAA Championships.

Barnicle, Cobrin, Hill, McClary, Quinn, Samuels and Strang will be making their NCAA Indoor Championship debuts this weekend. Balumbu is a five-time NCAA qualifier while Bailey competed in the 2007 NCAA Indoor Championships.

The current United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) ranking was released March 11, 2008. The Razorbacks sit at No. 5 after securing a few more provisional marks and an automatic mark at the Arkansas Last Chance. Arkansas is one of seven SEC teams ranked in the top 25 and one of four SEC team ranked in the top six. Florida State holds the top spot in the nation and former No. 1 Arizona State ranks fourth.

The national performance lists, split by division and conference, can be found at TrackShark.com.

For complete details of the NCAA Indoor Championships and Arkansas Track and Field, visit www.hogwired.com.

Download: 3.14-15.08 NCAAs.pdf