TAT: Hogs Use Week Off to Prepare

This article originally appeared in the April 3, 2013 issue of The Arkansas Traveler.

Coming off of a solid performance at the Stanford Invitational and Spring Invitational in which five Razorbacks won events, most athletes for No. 2 Arkansas are getting a week off.

The only event this week for the men’s track and field team is the John McDonnell Combined Events in Fayetteville Sunday and Monday. Athletes that compete in combined events, like the decathlon, are the only ones participating.

The rest of team is preparing for the John McDonnell Invitational in Fayetteville April 12 and 13.

“We have Texas A&M coming in and they’re the No. 1 team in the country right now,” head coach Chris Bucknam said. “We’re No. 2, so it looks like that’d be a pretty good track meet to come to.”

At the Stanford Invitational, Arkansas’ top performer was junior Kemoy Campbell, who ran the 5,000-meter in 13 minutes, 32.82 seconds. His time not only won the race, but was also the best NCAA time and second best time in the world so far this year.

It is also the eighth fastest time in UA history.

“Obviously, we’re happy with Campbell’s NCAA-leading time in the 5,000,” Bucknam said. “He seems to have kept it rolling after the Indoor Championships.”

Junior Solomon Haile also took home a top-10 finish at the Stanford Invitational. He finished the 10,000-meter in 28:56.92, which was the eighth fastest finish at the meet and his fastest since suffering an injury and missing last season.

“It was great to see (Haile) back out on the track running the 10,000,” Bucknam said. “I’m excited and pleased with how hard he’s worked to get back to this point.”

Overall, Bucknam said the team is in a “rebooting phase” after winning the NCAA Indoor Championship and the athletes are working primarily with their specialty and event coaches.

“I think after the first few outdoor workouts, the indoor season is long gone,” Bucknam said. “We have a lot of tired puppies right now.”

“Nothing fancy is going on in practice, just a lot of hard work, a lot of heavy breathing and getting back to the basics,” Bucknam said.

While many of the Razorbacks have the week off, there are a couple opportunities for students and fans to interact with the team.

Bucknam, as well as assistant coaches Doug Case and Travis Geopfert, will be at Jose’s Mexican Restaurant on Dickson Street Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. as part of the track team’s monthly luncheon series.

Friday, the UA is having a pep rally for the men’s track and field team in honor of their 2013 NCAA Indoor Team National Championship. Free pizza will be available to students while supplies last.

The pep rally begins at 12:30 p.m. at the Union Mall.