UA cross country teams in NCAA field

Arkansas coach Lance Harter watches Saturday, April 27, 2019, during the National Relay Championships at John McDonnell Field on the campus of the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE — The University of Arkansas women’s and men’s cross country teams have been selected to compete in the NCAA Championships on March 15, it was announced Sunday.

Teams usually qualify for the NCAA Championships at regional meets, but those were canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. Instead a selection committee chose the teams — 31 each for the women and men.

The NCAA Championships will be held a week from today in Stillwater, Okla. The meet was moved from its usual date in November because of the pandemic.

Arkansas has the No. 1 ranked women’s cross country team and the UA men are ranked No. 3, but realistically the Razorbacks won’t contend for national championships because the meet is just two days after the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, which are being held Thursday through Saturday at the Randal Tyson Center in Fayetteville.

Both Arkansas’ women’s and men’s teams will have their top distance runners compete at the NCAA Indoor meet, though they also are expected to run cross country.

The Razorbacks’ women’s and men’s indoor track and field teams also are ranked No. 1 and No. 3 respectively, while teams that are strong primarily in cross country can focus on that meet.

Arkansas competed in cross country last fall and swept SEC women’s and men’s titles.