Arkansas women rolling over SEC

Arkansas coach Lance Harter watches during the McDonnell Invitation on Saturday, April 23, 2016, at John McDonnell Field in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas' women's cross country and track and field teams have been dominating the NCAA's most dominant conference.

The Razorbacks ran away with their seventh consecutive SEC title last Saturday -- this time it was the outdoor championships -- when they scored 126.75 points with Texas A&M taking second with 82.

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Seven in a row

Arkansas’ women’s cross country and track and field teams have combined to win seven consecutive SEC championships. The streak started when the Razorbacks won the 2014 outdoor title:

2014

OUTDOORS 1. Arkansas 123, 2. Florida 116.5

CROSS COUNTRY 1. Arkansas 32, 2. Vanderbilt 85

2015

INDOORS 1. Arkansas 130, 2. Florida 86

OUTDOORS 1. Arkansas 127.5, 2. Texas A&M 104

CROSS COUNTRY 1. Arkansas 38, 2. Mississippi State 95

2016

INDOORS 1. Arkansas 110, 2. LSU 67

OUTDOORS 1. Arkansas 126.75, 2. Texas A&M 82

"To win by 44 points, that wasn't supposed to happen," Arkansas Coach Lance Harter said. "We thought it was about a 10- to 15-point scenario, but we ended up capitalizing on a lot of opportunities, and our opposition had a tendency to shoot themselves in the foot."

That's been happening a lot lately for Harter's Arkansas teams.

Since finishing third behind Florida and Texas A&M at the 2014 SEC Indoor meet, the Razorbacks have won their seven consecutive titles by an average of 38.4 points.

"I'm not going to get the congeniality award ever again in the SEC," Harter said. "All 13 of our peers in the SEC are diligently trying to figure out their formula to knock us off.

"I think there even now are teams that are becoming pure distance programs and others pure sprint and jump programs to try to upset us."

Harter credited assistant coaches Bryan Compton (field events) and Chris Johnson (sprints and hurdles) along with the athletes for Arkansas' dominance.

"We have a three-pronged plan," said Harter, who coaches the distance runners. "We attack from all avenues."

At last weekend's Outdoor meet, the Razorbacks had 21 scorers in 12 events, led by champions Taylor Ellis-Watson (400 meters), Dominique Scott-Efurd (5,000), Lexi Weeks (pole vault) and Jessica Kamilos (steeplechase). Ellis-Watson also took second in the 200 and Scott-Efurd second in the 1,500.

After the meet, the Razorbacks dumped Gatorade on Harter. He said he's been doused by ice water several times after winning championships, but the Gatorade bath was a first.

"Any time you're celebrated by your athletes, that's really, really special," said Harter, who has led the Arkansas women to 27 SEC championships. "Maybe moreso than by your peers, because those are the ones you work with day in and day out.

"If you have to pay the price to be sticky a little bit, I'll take it."

The Razorbacks moved ahead of Kentucky to the No. 1 spot in the coaches poll with 341 points. The Wildcats are second with 340.94 points.

"It's the thinnest margin of being in first place ever in the history of the poll, by six hundredths of a point," Harter said. "We're in the national championship conversation. But if it takes 50 points to win, there are a lot of teams with that capability."

Arkansas will compete at the NCAA West Regional on May 25-26 at Lawrence, Kan.

"You've got to make sure you keep everybody healthy and confident," Harter said. "Our training now is basically fine-tuning."

Sports on 05/18/2016