Women's track at No. 5

FAYETTEVILLE – In this week’s version of the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches’ Association poll, the Arkansas Razorback men’s and women’s track and field teams both garnered top-10 rankings, it was announced on Monday.

The Razorbacks, seated at No. 5 this week, moved up six spots from last week’s No. 11 position. Arkansas is one of five Southeastern Conference women’s teams in the top 25. The Florida Gators are No. 3, the Tennessee Lady Vols are No. 4, the LSU Tigers are No. 7 and the Auburn Tigers are No. 8.

The Razorbacks currently hold three NCAA automatic qualifiers in senior Katie Stripling and sophomore Tina Sutej (pole vault) and the 4×400-meter relay (junior Edina Brooks, junior Shelise Williams, sophomore Whitney Jones and freshman Regina George).

Arkansas has NCAA provisional qualifiers in Williams and George in the 400 meters, freshman Stephanie Brown and sophomore Kristen Gillespie in the 800 meters and the mile, the distance medley relay (sophomore Samantha Learch, Williams, George and Gillespie) and senior Janice Keppler in the pole vault.

In the last two competitions, the squad has set school records in the distance medley relay, the 4×400-meter relay and Williams in the open 400 meters. They also re-set their own school record in the 4×400-meter relay.

The Razorbacks will compete next when they host the 2010 SEC Indoor Men’s and Women’s Track and Field Championships, Feb. 26-28, at the Randal Tyson Track Center.