If the University of Arkansas men’s and women’s track and field teams are to bring home national championship trophies from Eugene, Ore., they’ll likely need to fend off challenges from SEC rivals — present and future.
Both Arkansas teams are ranked No. 1 in the coaches’ polls going into the NCAA Outdoor Championships that begin Wednesday and run through Saturday at Oregon’s Hayward Field.
But the top five in both polls are loaded with a combined seven SEC teams along with a team that will join the conference next year.
Behind Arkansas in the men’s poll are No. 2 Alabama, No. 3 Florida and No. 5 Texas A&M from the SEC along with No. 4 Southern Cal, which is leaving the Pac-12 for the Big Ten next year.
The women’s poll after Arkansas includes No. 2 and SEC champion LSU and No. 5 Florida, plus defending NCAA champion and No. 3 Texas, which is leaving the Big 12 for the SEC next year, and No. 4 Oregon, which is moving from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten.
Arkansas’ women’s team is going for a sweep of national titles in 2024 under first-year Coach Chris Johnson.
The Razorbacks won their second consecutive NCAA Indoor title with 55 points in March to edge Florida, which took second with 50.
“Obviously we feel good about it,” Johnson said of the No. 1 ranking. “But we know that we’ve got to go out and take care of our business.
“The meet is at Oregon, and they’ve got a formidable team. Florida, LSU and Texas have great teams, too, among others.”
Arkansas’ women’s team has 18 entries with 13 athletes in 14 events.
“I feel good about the size of our group, but more importantly the quality of the group,” Johnson said. “Obviously, we want everybody to score. That’s probably unlikely, but that’s the goal.
“Get everybody to score, and hopefully we can score big points in some events and come together as a team in a quest to win another national title.”
The Razorbacks are led by their 400-meter crew of senior Nickisha Pryce, freshman Kaylyn Brown, senior Amber Anning and junior Rosey Effiong.
Pryce (49.32 seconds), Brown (49.47) and Anning (49.51) rank 1-2-3 in the 400 this season and Effiong (50.75) ranks No. 6.
The quartet also set the collegiate record in the 1,600 relay of 3:21.92 at the NCAA West First Round meet on May 25 at John McDonnell Field.
Anning, Pryce and Effiong took 1-2-3 in the 400 and also scored in the 200 at the NCAA Indoor meet this year and Arkansas junior Rachel Glenn won the high jump. Glenn is the national leader in the 400 hurdles.
“I think the experience helps a lot, because the moment’s not too big,” Johnson said of having several All-Americans competing for the Razorbacks. “They’ll just embrace it.
“I think our young ladies are seasoned and prepared to give it their best. So we’re going to try to go out and be mistake-free and keep our eyes on the prize and get after it.”
Arkansas’ men’s team won the 2023 NCAA Indoor title, then finished second at the 2023 NCAA Outdoors to Florida and second at the NCAA Indoors this year to Texas Tech.
“There’s no question it wounded us to get second outdoors last year, and then it wounded us again to get second indoors this year,” Razorback Coach Chris Bucknam said. “But this is a new meet and we feel good about how our guys are competing.”
Arkansas won the SEC Outdoor title with 110 points to edge Alabama, which was second with 104.
“We’re SEC champs, and that’s real good momentum for us coming into this meet,” Bucknam said. “I feel like we slow-played the season a little bit in April so that we’re ready for this weekend, and so far, so good.”
Arkansas’ men’s team has 13 entries with 12 athletes in 9 events, including defending national champions in Romaine Beckford (high jump), Chris Lemonious (110 hurdles) and Wayne Pinnock (high jump).
“Those guys are experienced and they’ve done it under the brightest of lights in our sport,” Bucknam said. “That’s a good thing to bring to the table when you have guys back who have won.
“But there are new stars coming into those events and you can’t take anything for granted. Our guys know that. They’ve been in enough competitions to know that everybody is fighting for those top spots.”
Bucknam said he believes it will take 50 to 60 points to win the team title.
“It’s impossible to predict,” he said. “All we can do is focus on us. Get ourselves really ready to compete and dialed in mentally on what has to be done.”
