SEC Indoor Track and Field

UA women riding prolonged title run

Arkansas' Taliyah Brooks competes in the 4x400-meter relay Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018, during the Tyson Invitational in the Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE -- No one competing for the Arkansas Razorbacks' women's track and field team this weekend at the SEC indoor meet in College Station, Texas, knows what it feels like to come home without a conference championship trophy.

That what happens when a team goes on a four-year title run. The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville has won 11 consecutive SEC titles in cross country, indoor and outdoor track.

SEC INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS

WHEN Today and Saturday

WHERE Gilliam Indoor Stadium, College Station, Texas

DEFENDING CHAMPIONS Arkansas men, Arkansas women.

MEN’S TEAM FAVORITES No. 2 Florida, No. 3 Arkansas, No. 5 Georgia, No. 7 Texas A&M, No. 8 Alabama

WOMEN’S TEAM FAVORITES No. 1 Arkansas, No. 3 Kentucky, No. 4 Georgia, No. 6 LSU, No. 7 Texas A&M

HOW TO WATCH The meet will be on the internet via SEC Network-plus from 3 p.m.-7:30 p.m. today and televised live on the SEC Network from 5 p.m.-9 p.m. Sunday.

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"You don't want to be on the team that ends the streak," Arkansas senior Taliyah Brooks said. "We know we've got to work to keep it going."

Brooks, who leads the SEC in the pentathlon and ranks second in the long jump, redshirted during the 2014 track season.

That's the last time Arkansas didn't win an SEC women's title.

Florida won the 2014 SEC indoor title with 102 points, followed by Texas A&M (96.5) and Arkansas (93.5).

The Razorbacks won the 2014 outdoor title with 123 points to start their championship streak. They won SEC triple crowns during the 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17 school years -- cross country, indoor and outdoor track sweeps -- and took the 2017 cross country title in November.

"The 12th will be by far the hardest to win," Razorbacks Coach Lance Harter said. "I think I'm enough of a realist with my team versus teams that have been building to try to stop our streak."

There are 10 SEC teams ranked in the top 25, but Harter said No. 3 Kentucky and No. 4 Georgia are Arkansas' biggest threats.

"The stars have aligned well so far -- in my eyes -- for Georgia or Kentucky to give us a real run," Harter said. "All three of us striving to get 100 points. If you get 100, I think you'll be safe."

Kentucky is strongest in the sprints and Georgia in the field events, while Arkansas has the ability to score across the board.

Today's pole vault will be key for Arkansas and Kentucky and feature the nation's top three in the event

Kentucky junior Olivia Gruver (15-3) is leading the nation with Arkansas juniors Lexi Jacobus (15-2 3/4) and Tori Hoggard (14-10 3/4) ranked third. Razorbacks junior Desiree Freier (14-4 3/4) is ranked No. 6.

"We have a lot of pressure on us to come out and win an SEC championship," Hoggard said. "I think we have the talent to do it, we just all have to go and perform like we know how to do."

In addition to Brooks in the pentathlon and long jump and the pole vaulters, Arkansas will be looking for big points from junior Payton Stumbaugh Chadwick in the 60-meter hurdles, 200 and on the 1,600 relay team; sophomore Taylor Werner in the 3,000 and 5,000; and senior Nikki Hiltz in the mile.

Werner, who won the 5,000 last year and took second in the 3,000, said the streak provides plenty of motivation.

"We don't really talk much about it, but I think we all know that we can't break this steak," she said. "It definitely gives us a lot incentive."

Harter said he has made sure the Razorbacks understand they can't become complacent and take winning for granted.

"I keep reiterating -- especially to our newbies -- that there's nothing automatic about winning an SEC championship," Harter said. "Our teams in the past have fought tooth and nail to make this happen, and if you ignore that fight, you'll get passed."

Sports on 02/24/2018