'Best of the best' on display at Razorback Invitational

Kenzo Cotton runs during the Arkansas Invitational on Friday, Jan. 13, 2017, in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Fourteen national event leaders in men's and women's track and field will compete this weekend at the Razorback Invitational.

It's the first major competition of the indoor season for the No. 2 Razorbacks' women's team and No. 5 men's team after two warmup meets.

At a glance

RAZORBACK INVITATIONAL TRACK AND FIELD MEET

WHEN Today and Saturday. Events begin at 11:30 a.m. today with the pentathlon and heptathlon. Feature races will be from 6-7:20 p.m. Saturday’s events begin at 11:15 a.m. with the men’s 3,000 meters. Feature races will be from 1-4:45 p.m.

WHERE Randal Tyson Track Center, Fayetteville

WHO Men’s field includes No. 1 Florida, No. 3 LSU, No. 5 Arkansas, No. 10 Southern California, No. 14 Texas A&M, No. 15 Tennessee, No. 17 Oklahoma State, No. 19 South Carolina, Auburn, Mississippi State, Missouri, Ole Miss and Wake Forest. Women’s field includes No. 2 Arkansas, No. 3 Georgia, No. 4 Southern California, No. 5 Florida, No. 7 LSU, No. 14 Oklahoma State, No. 16 Ole Miss, No. 17 Tennessee, No. 24 South Carolina, Auburn, Mississippi State, Missouri, Texas A&M and Wake Forest.

ADMISSION $5 for adults; free to Arkansas students and 17 and under.

TELEVISION Live at 1 p.m. Saturday on SEC Network.

"Coming off Christmas break we try to ease into it a little bit, but it gets real this weekend," said Chris Bucknam, Arkansas' men's coach. "We're going to get a good idea of where our team is at after this meet.

"If you want a preview to the SEC championship and the nationals, this is where you need to come this weekend."

The meet, which will feature team scoring, begins today at the Randal Tyson Track Center today and runs through Saturday.

Arkansas senior Clive Pullen (triple jump) and sophomore Tori Weeks (pole vault) are among the national leaders.

Other national leaders competing at the Randal Tyson Track Center include:

• Tennessee's Christian Coleman (60 meters)

• Texas A&M's Mylik Kerley (400)

• Florida's Grant Holloway (60 hurdles and long jump)

• LSU's Johnnie Jackson (weight throw)

• Texas A&M's 1,600 relay

• Missouri's Karissa Schweizer (5,000)

• Southern California's 1,600 relay

• Georgia's Madeline Fagan and Titianna Gusin (high jump)

• Georga's Keturah Orji (triple jump)

• Ole Miss' Raven Saunders (shot put)

The meet also features seven NCAA champions, including Pullen and Arkansas sophomore Lexi Weeks, Tori's twin sister who swept the national pole vault titles last year.

"We're going to see the best of the best," Arkansas women's coach Lance Harter said. "On paper each and every event will be absolutely spectacular."

Arkansas' Kenzo Cottton will run in the 60 and 200, where his competition includes Coleman and LSU's Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake, an Olympian for Great Britain.

Other Arkansas sprinters in marquee races are sophomores Obi Igbokwe (400) and Carlton Orange (800).

Going for Arkansas in the long jump are juniors Andreas Trajkovski and Travonn White, a transfer from Oregon making his Razorbacks debut.

Arkansas will be led in the distance races by Jack Bruce in the mile and senior Franklin Tonjui and sophomore Andrew Ronho in the 3,000.

The Weeks twins are among five of the top 10 in the national pole vault rankings along with Arkansas redshirt sophomore Desiree Freier, Texas A&M's Emily Gunderson and Ole Miss' Lindsey Murray.

The pentathlon will feature defending champion Kendell Williams of Georgia and Arkansas junior Tayliah Brooks, who was second.

Nine of the top 10 teams in the men's national rankings are at the meet and nine of the top 24 women's teams.

"We're only four weeks away from the SEC championships, so it's time to dial up," Harter said. "We've got to take care of business because it's closing in for the SEC and nationals."

The SEC Network will televise the meet at 1 p.m. Saturday.

"It's a tremendous opportunity to showcase our facility," Arkansas men's field events assistant coach Travis Geopfert said. "I hope we can pack the house."

Sports on 01/27/2017