FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas' No. 1-ranked women's track and field team and No. 11 men's team are welcoming a loaded field to the Randal Tyson Track Center for this weekend's Razorback Invitational.
The visiting women's teams include No. 2 Georgia, No. 5 Oregon, No. 6 Florida, No. 18 LSU and No. 20 Texas A&M. Men's teams include No. 1 Florida, No. 3 Texas A&M, No. 5 Oregon, No. 6 LSU, No. 7 Georgia and No. 16 Oklahoma State.
RAZORBACK INVITATIONAL TRACK & FIELD MEET
WHEN Today-Saturday. The heptathlon and pentathlon begin at 11 a.m. today with field events starting at 3 p.m. and running events at 6 p.m. Events on Saturday are from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m..
WHERE Randal Tyson Track Center, Fayetteville.
TELEVISION SEC Network live coverage Saturday from 12:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m.
TICKETS $5 for adults. Free for UA students and those under 17.
The meet begins today and runs through Saturday.
"You can pick an event and it's going to be hell on wheels," Arkansas men's Coach Chris Bucknam said. "We've had this meet circled because we want to see where we stand nationally and more importantly how our guys react to this type of competition.
"There's no better track meet going on anywhere in the country better than this one. We're hoping for a great crowd that will help bring the energy."
Lance Harter, coach of the defending indoor national champion Arkansas women's team, said the meet "basically is an NCAA Championships preview."
The SEC Network will telecast the meet live from 12:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Saturday.
"We're trying to build our fan base, so for us to be on live TV is great exposure," Bucknam said. "We're working diligently with the SEC to try to create more TV events for track so they'll want to come back."
The meet will be scored with points awarded for the top eight places -- the same format as the SEC and NCAA meets.
"Our agenda at Arkansas is team track and field," said Bucknam, whose Razorbacks won the 2013 NCAA indoor title. "That's why we love to score the meets.
"We want to create that culture of competing for more than just yourself, and that carries you to a whole other level."
Harter said a meet like this weekend's helps stress to the Razorbacks the importance of team depth.
"I think it serves to let them know eight places are important and you've got to battle for each and every one of those spots," Harter said. "It's perfect preparation for the SEC and NCAA meets."
The Arkansas men will be led by senior Jarrion Lawson, a national champion in the long jump and All-American sprinter. He'll long jump tonight and run in the 60 meters and on the 1,600 relay Saturday.
Two national junior college champions, long jumper Andreas Trajkovski and 3,000-meter runner Andrew Ronoh, will make their Arkansas debuts. Freshman Carlton Orange, the Pan American junior champion, will run in the 800 meters.
Senior All-American Taylor Ellis-Watson in the 400 meters and freshman pole vaulter Lexi Weeks, the national leader at 14-9, are among the top entrants for the UA women.
The pentathlon, which starts at 11 a.m. today, is an especially strong women's event with Georgia's Kendall Willaims, the NCAA record-holder with 4,678 points from last year's national meet, going against Arkansas All-Americans Alex Gochenour, Taliay Brooks and Leigha Brown.
Both Arkansas teams have several newcomers competing.
"They need to taste what it's like to be in a meet like this," Bucknam said. "We need to get them to understand it's time to step up and compete and get the job done, because you're running for [the] guy beside you with the Razorback on his chest.
"This is a great learning opportunity for our young kids and a great reminder for our upper classmen that this is team track and field."
Sports on 01/29/2016