This article originally appeared in the January 15, 2014 issue of The Arkansas Traveler.
The Arkansas men’s and women’s track and field teams began their indoor seasons with commanding victories at the Arkansas Invitational Friday, but both face a much tougher task this Friday.
This year marks the fifth consecutive season Texas’ men’s track and field team will travel to Fayetteville for a dual meet against Arkansas, while it will be the first time the women’s program will also participate.
Arkansas has dominated the series, winning all four dual meets. Although, with the exception of the 2011 meet, it has won by only eight points or less. Coming into the last two meets, the Razorbacks and Longhorns have been ranked in the top 10.
Last season was a matchup of two top five teams, as Arkansas was the preseason No. 1 team and Texas was preseason No. 3.
This season is no different. The Longhorns come to Fayetteville with the No. 15 ranking, while the Razorbacks seek to defend their No. 1 ranking.
“Texas is a phenomenal program,” head coach Chris Bucknam said. “It’s going to be a challenge for us, but it’ll be a lot of fun.”
Coming off of the program’s 41st official NCAA National Championship, Arkansas seems primed to defend its indoor title.
Nine of the 13 individual athletes that earned points for the Razorbacks at the Indoor National Championships are back at Arkansas this season. One of the four legs of the National Champion 4x400 relay team is back, as well.
All but two of these athletes competed in the Arkansas Invitational Friday, but only one did so in the event he scored points at the Indoor Championships.
Seniors Kemoy Campbell and Stanley Kebenei won the 800 and 1,000, respectively, while sophomore Tomas Squella was the top collegiate finisher in the 400, junior Patrick Rono won the 600 and senior Neil Braddy was the second collegiate finisher in the 200.
In the long jump, Anthony May was the second collegiate finisher and senior Kevin Lazas finished third in the shot put. Shot put is one of the seven legs of the heptathlon, which Lazas won last season at the Indoor National Championships.
The only athlete to compete in his main event was two-time defending Indoor National Champion Andrew Irwin. The junior won the pole vault, but by clearing a height more than two feet less than his championship winning height last season.
Irwin’s struggles can be credited to a “semi-serious injury” he suffered during summer workouts, Bucknam said.
“He’s not nearly in top form,” Bucknam said. “He’s got a ways to go, but he’s a great competitor and it was good to see him vaulting again.”
Texas’ team is highlighted by a pair of athletes on The Bowerman Trophy preseason watch list: junior Ryan Crouser and sophomore Johannes Hock. The Bowerman is given to the top collegiate track and field athlete every year.
Crouser and Hock compete in throws and combined events, respectively, for the Longhorns.
On the women’s side, Arkansas lost over half of its athletes who contributed points to the Razorbacks fourth place finish at the Indoor National Championships last season.
“We have some people that can score at the NCAA level,” head coach Lance Harter said. “Any time you lose a Regina George and a Makeba Alcide, (you have to think that) it was great having them, but it’s time to move on.”
Those that did return this season, though, bring back a lot of experience. Seniors Grace Heymsfield and Keri Wood made up half of the distance medley relay team that broke the school record and finished third at the Indoor Championships.
Senior Sparkle McKnight placed in the 400, as well as ran a leg in the 4x400 relay that finished second, while senior Sandi Morris finished fourth in the pole vault.
However, none of these athletes competed at the Arkansas Invitational. The only athlete who earned points at the Indoor Championships last season that competed Friday was junior Tamara Myers.
Myers finished fourth in the triple jump at the Indoor Championships, but was the top collegiate finisher in the long jump Friday.
On top of these athletes, Arkansas is also looking for a good performance from senior Stephanie Brown, who won the 1,000 at the Arkansas Invitational. She is a five-time All-American, but did not compete last season.
“It wasn’t exactly what I wanted to run, but it’s good to knock off some rust and get out there on the track again,” Brown said.
The Longhorns come into Fayetteville with the No. 1 ranking, while the Razorbacks are No. 7.
“We’re going to get tested by the number one team in the United States,” Harter said. “Texas is absolutely loaded.”
Texas’ women’s team has an athlete on The Bowerman preseason watch list, as well. Junior sprinter Ashley Spencer is entering her first season with the Longhorns after a two-year stint at Illinois, where she earned five All-America honors and was a 12-time Big Ten Champion.
Both of Arkansas’ teams will rely on their experienced athletes at the Arkansas-Texas dual meet, but they will also need freshmen to step up to the challenge.
Freshmen Omar McLeod and Regine Williams each burst onto the scene Friday, with a pair of wins at the Arkansas Invitational.
McLeod won the 60-meter dash, 60-meter hurdles and was the first leg of the winning 4x400 relay team.
“Omar showed what kind of athlete he is,” Bucknam said. “He was phenomenal.”
Williams won the 60-meter dash and the 200. She was also the second collegiate finisher in the long jump and was the second leg of the top collegiate 4x400 relay team.
“We knew she was a great talent, but what she did today was far beyond our expectations,” Harter said. “It’s probably the tip of the iceberg of what we have to see from her. She is truly special.”
The Arkansas-Texas Dual Meet begins at 6 p.m. Friday at the Tyson Track Center. Both Arkansas teams enter 1-0, while it is Texas’ first indoor meet of the season.
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