Top runners in action for Arkansas

Arkansas runners Kemoy Campbell (left) and Patrick Rono compete Friday, Jan. 16, 2015, at Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE -- A year after All-Americans Kemoy Campbell and Stanley Kebenei missed the SEC Indoor Championships because of injury and illness, the senior distance runners are back to lead Arkansas into this weekend's meet at Lexington, Ky.

Campbell was out last year because of a foot injury while Kebenei had mononucleosis.

SEC INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS

WHERE Lexington, Ky.

WHEN Today through Saturday

MEN’S DEFENDING CHAMPION Arkansas

WOMEN’S DEFENDING CHAMPION Florida

MEN’S CONTENDERS No. 1 Florida, No. 3 Arkansas, No. 4 Texas A&M

WOMEN’S CONTENDERS No. 1 Arkansas, No. 2 Georgia, No. 3 Florida

The Razorbacks still won their third consecutive SEC indoor title with 121 points while runner-up Florida had 106, but Arkansas Coach Chris Bucknam said it's a relief to have Campbell and Kebenei competing again.

Campbell and Kebenei will double in the 5,000 today and the 3,000 Saturday.

"It's great to have them back with the 1-2 punch they can give us in two events," Bucknam said. "They're going to be formidable for us.

"In distance running there are two types of runners -- pacers and racers -- and Kemoy and Stanley are racers. They're going to race to win and do what it takes to score points."

Campbell (7:48.13) and Kebenei (7:49.74) have the SEC's top two times in the 3,000, which they ran two weeks ago at the Husky Classic in Seattle. Both times are in the top five on the Razorbacks' career list and Kebenei improved his personal best by more than 10 seconds.

"They're ready to run fast in the 5,000, too," Bucknam said. "They're in top shape."

Other key competitors for the Razorbacks -- who have won 20 of 23 SEC Indoor titles since joining the conference -- include Omar McLeod, Jarrion Lawson and Andrew Irwin.

McLeod has the nation's top time in the 60-meter hurdles (7.60), Lawson has the nation's top long jump mark (26-4 1/4) and Irwin ranks second nationally and leads the SEC in the pole vault (18-10 1/4).

McLeod and Lawson also will run legs on the 1,600-meter relay team, which ranks fifth in the SEC.

The SEC has three of the top four ranked teams in the country in the coaches' poll with No. 1 Florida, No. 3 Arkansas and No. 4 Texas A&M

"I don't think there's a clear favorite," Bucknam said. "It's going to be a very close, tight. Nobody's going to run away with it."

Sports on 02/27/2015