FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012 – MEDIA RELATIONS CONTACT: Zach Lawson (zlawson@uark.edu)

 

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS MEN’S TRACK AND FIELD

Top-ranked track hosts Tyson Invitational

 

            FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – In its final competition before the conference meet, the No. 1 University of Arkansas men’s track and field team will host the Tyson Invitational this weekend at the Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville. Including the Razorbacks, the field of teams will feature 10 nationally ranked teams. Competition begins at noon (CT) on Friday and 10 a.m. on Saturday.

            “There’s no question this is an important weekend for us,” head coach Chris Bucknam said. “It’s a weekend we have circled on our calendar as the final meet before the SEC Championships. We’re lining our kids up and expect some great competition. We want to provide a great venue and atmosphere for everyone coming in so we work really hard as a staff to set up a meet that is good for all the student-athletes competing.”

            The top-ranked Razorbacks are one of 10 teams in the field ranked in this week’s release of the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) national poll. Along with Arkansas, the Tyson Invitational is scheduled to include No. 3 LSU, No. 11 Oklahoma, No. 13 Nebraska, No. 16 Kansas State, No. 17 Wisconsin, No. 19 Ole Miss, No. 20 Iowa, No. 22 Georgia and No. 23 Auburn. The meet will also include Southeastern Conference foe South Carolina.

            Entering the weekend, Arkansas has four NCAA automatic-qualifying marks. Andrew Irwin in the pole vault, Gunnar Nixon and Kevin Lazas in the heptathlon and the 4x400-meter relay have all secured spots at the NCAA Indoor Championships. The Razorbacks also have nine top-10 national efforts with three No. 1 marks from Akheem Gauntlett (20.82) in the 200 meters, Nixon (6,022 points) in the heptathlon and the 4x400-meter relay team (3:06.03).

            For the third consecutive week, Arkansas is the No. 1 team in the country with the Feb. 7 release of the USTFCCCA national rankings. The Razorbacks are one of seven ranked teams from the SEC, the most by any conference in the NCAA. This week’s top-seven spots remain unchanged from the Jan. 31 rankings.

            In addition to the Tyson Invitational, Northwest Arkansas will host the USA Track & Field Classic this Saturday, beginning at 5 p.m. at the Randal Tyson Track Center. The meet will include a 10-event professional lineup and a field of the world’s best track and field stars that have combined to win 21 Olympic medals and 60 World Championship medals. Former Arkansas standouts Wallace Spearmon and Veronica Campbell-Brown are scheduled to compete.

            “It’s a great opportunity for us to host (the USATF Classic),” Bucknam said. “It’s a chance to showcase the University of Arkansas, the Tyson Center and the beautiful track we set up. It’s a track that is IAAF certified and ready for world records. You can’t say that about every track out there but you can say it about the Tyson Center. We’re set up for a special track meet.”

            Admission for both the Tyson Invitational and USATF Classic is free to the public. To follow the action throughout the weekend, an interactive blog, live results and video stream will be available. The USATF Classic will be broadcast on tape delay Sunday, Feb. 12, at 1:30 p.m. on ESPN2. For more information regarding Razorback track and field or University of Arkansas athletics, please visit ArkansasRazorbacks.com.

 

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