No. 3 Arkansas hosts Razorback Invitational
Track and Field
Matt Watson
Issue date: 1/23/09 Section: Sports
After a weekend off from competition, the Hogs will return to the Randal Tyson Track Center Friday for the Razorback Invitational.
The two-day event kicks off 11 a.m. Friday and will feature a 14-team field including No. 14 Baylor and Southeastern Conference rivals Alabama and Mississippi State.
The Razorback jumpers came out strong at the season opener two weeks ago. Senior Daniel Quinn and freshman Tarik Batchelor provisionally qualified for the NCAAs in the triple jump, while senior Nkosinza Balumbu won the event with an automatic qualifying mark of 53 feet, 0.75 inches.
Balumbu was named the SEC Field Event Athlete of the Week after recording the second-best mark in the country this season on a short approach in the first meet of the season.
"That's one of the reasons he's a reigning national champion," head coach Chris Bucknam said. "That's the reason why he's the captain. He's leading the charge by example. It goes to show the kind of work he's put in."
Balumbu and the rest of the jumpers are one of the big reasons Arkansas is ranked among the top schools in the country, less than three points behind No. 1 Oregon and 0.28 points behind No. 2 Arizona State in the preseason polls.
"We're off to a good start in the jumps, and hopefully the rest of us with catch up to [Arkansas field event] Coach Booth and his crew. They're off to a good start," Bucknam said.
The Razorback Invitational is the second of four meets at home for the Hogs this year.
The season-opening Arkansas Invitational wasn't first-year UA coach Bucknam's first time in the Tyson Track Center, though.
"It's obviously the best place to run in the country if not the world over there in that track center. It's unbelievable," Bucknam said. "The only time I've been to that facility really was the NCAA Championships, so every time I walk in there I think it's March. It's only January, so I have to pinch myself."
While the NCAA Championships will be at Texas A&M this year, Bucknam said he thinks this year's team has the talent to compete with any school anywhere in the country.
"We've got a championship caliber team and we're excited about it," he said.
No. 11 women return home
The Arkansas women's track and field team will return to the Tyson Track Center for the Razorback Invitational Friday.
The Razorbacks will be one of three ranked teams in the field of 16 that includes No. 21 Texas Christian and No. 23 Alabama.
Two Razorbacks hold the top marks in their events in the conference. Katie Stripling is fourth in the country in the pole vault, and Peter-Gaye Beckford is seventh nationally in the long jump.
The first event is scheduled for 11 a.m. Friday.
The two-day event kicks off 11 a.m. Friday and will feature a 14-team field including No. 14 Baylor and Southeastern Conference rivals Alabama and Mississippi State.
The Razorback jumpers came out strong at the season opener two weeks ago. Senior Daniel Quinn and freshman Tarik Batchelor provisionally qualified for the NCAAs in the triple jump, while senior Nkosinza Balumbu won the event with an automatic qualifying mark of 53 feet, 0.75 inches.
Balumbu was named the SEC Field Event Athlete of the Week after recording the second-best mark in the country this season on a short approach in the first meet of the season.
"That's one of the reasons he's a reigning national champion," head coach Chris Bucknam said. "That's the reason why he's the captain. He's leading the charge by example. It goes to show the kind of work he's put in."
Balumbu and the rest of the jumpers are one of the big reasons Arkansas is ranked among the top schools in the country, less than three points behind No. 1 Oregon and 0.28 points behind No. 2 Arizona State in the preseason polls.
"We're off to a good start in the jumps, and hopefully the rest of us with catch up to [Arkansas field event] Coach Booth and his crew. They're off to a good start," Bucknam said.
The Razorback Invitational is the second of four meets at home for the Hogs this year.
The season-opening Arkansas Invitational wasn't first-year UA coach Bucknam's first time in the Tyson Track Center, though.
"It's obviously the best place to run in the country if not the world over there in that track center. It's unbelievable," Bucknam said. "The only time I've been to that facility really was the NCAA Championships, so every time I walk in there I think it's March. It's only January, so I have to pinch myself."
While the NCAA Championships will be at Texas A&M this year, Bucknam said he thinks this year's team has the talent to compete with any school anywhere in the country.
"We've got a championship caliber team and we're excited about it," he said.
No. 11 women return home
The Arkansas women's track and field team will return to the Tyson Track Center for the Razorback Invitational Friday.
The Razorbacks will be one of three ranked teams in the field of 16 that includes No. 21 Texas Christian and No. 23 Alabama.
Two Razorbacks hold the top marks in their events in the conference. Katie Stripling is fourth in the country in the pole vault, and Peter-Gaye Beckford is seventh nationally in the long jump.
The first event is scheduled for 11 a.m. Friday.
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