FAYETTEVILLE -- It might appear that the Arkansas Razorbacks are hosting the SEC Men's and Women's Indoor Track and Field Championships this weekend at their Randal Tyson Indoor.
But it's not their turn.
The SEC Indoor runs Feb. 24-25 at Vanderbilt's Indoor track in Nashville, Tenn.; the Hogs hosted the same meet last year.
But Arkansas hosts a virtual SEC preview Friday and Saturday. Eleven SEC schools plus Southern California of the Pac 12, Oklahoma State (Big 12) and Wake Forest (ACC) compete in the Razorback Invitational at Randal Tyson.
Friday's events schedule runs from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Saturday's events schedule begin at noon with the SEC Network televising from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m conclusion.
Outside of the NCAA Indoor Championships scheduled to be run March 10-11 in College Station, Texas, this weekend's meet matches the elite level of any indoor collegiate track meet in 2017.
According to the latest NCAA Indoor rankings, Coach Lance Harter's No. 2 Razorbacks and reigning NCAA Outdoor Women's champions, are the highest ranked women's team in a Razorback Invitational that sports nearly every major women's power, outside of No. 1 Oregon.
SEC visitors by rank: Georgia (3); Florida (5); LSU (7); Ole Miss (16); Tennessee (17) and South Carolina (24). Other participants include Mp/ 4 Southern California and No. 14 Oklahoma State.
The SEC is well-represented on the men's side. Along with Coach Chris Bucknam's fifth-ranked Razorbacks, there is No. 1 Florida, the defending NCAA Outdoor Champion; No. 4 Georgia; No. 14 Texas A&M; No. 15 Tennessee and No. 19 South Carolina.
Arkansas was the runner-up at both the Indoor and Outdoor last year.
Other participants include No. 10 Southern California ranks and No. 17 Oklahoma State.
The team rankings reflect the quality of individuals competing, said Harter and men's field events coach Travis Geopfert.
"Every event is going to be good across the board," said Geopfert, subbing for Bucknam at Tuesday's news conference.
Team scores will be tabulated this week, though Harter asserted, and Geopfert concurred, the only track meets they really care about for team scoring are the SEC and NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships.
"Its always good to have a meet scored," Geopfert said. "Like Coach Harter said, we are not going to double or triple athletes to score like at conference and nationals. But since we don't have a conference or national championship meet here this year, it's great for fans to come out and watch a scored meet and see ranked teams in the country on our home track."
Ditto for the women's meet, Harter said.
"We are going to see the best of the best," Harter said. "On paper each and every race will be absolutely spectacular."
Arkansas athletes have already turned in sure-to-be NCAA Indoor qualifying performances in their first two meets: Clive Pullen's 54-8 personal record men's triple jump; and Tori Weeks' personal record 14-6½ women's pole vault. But Harter and Geopfert say the Razorback Invitational marks the first time Arkansas athletes will "take the reins off" aiming for SEC seeding and NCAA qualifying.
Sports on 01/25/2017