FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2012 – MEDIA RELATIONS CONTACT: Zach Lawson (zlawson@uark.edu)

 

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS WOMENÂ’S TRACK AND FIELD

WomenÂ’s track holds steady at No. 3

 

            FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Maintaining its spot from the preseason rankings, the University of Arkansas womenÂ’s track and field team holds steady at No. 3 in the Jan. 24 release of the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) top-25 national poll. This weekÂ’s poll is the first since the start of the 2012 season.

            “I think weÂ’re right on cue,” head coach Lance Harter said. “WeÂ’ve already got a few national marks that will get into the national meet, led by Regina and Whitney in the 400 and Tina in the pole vault. We havenÂ’t addressed a lot of the middle distances but that will happen this weekend and at the Tyson Invitational.”

            With the Razorbacks as the third-ranked team, the top three in the country remain unchanged. The Razorback carry a weekly total of 124.92 points, and sit behind top-ranked Oregon and No. 2 LSU. The top-five group is rounded out by Clemson and Texas, respectively. Arkansas is one of four teams from the Southeastern Conference ranked inside the USTFCCCA poll.

            The SEC is the top-rated team in the Conference Index rankings. With Arkansas and LSU, the league is also represented by No. 13 Georgia and No. 17 Tennessee.

            Individually, the Razorbacks have six top-10 performers through the early weeks of the 2012 campaign. Tina Sutej (4.35m/14-3.25) owns the top mark in the pole vault with her NCAA automatic-qualifying effort at the Kentucky Invitational. Regina George (53.61) and Whitney Jones (53.86) have the second- and fifth-fastest times in the 400 meters. At 800 meters, Samantha Learch (2:10.08) has the No. 8 time in the event. Stephanie Brown (4:43.41) is 10^th in the mile and Kristen Gillespie (9:20.91) is seventh over 3,000 meters.

            With a week away from competition, Arkansas returns to action Jan. 27-28 to host the Razorback Invitational at the Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville. This weekendÂ’s competition is scheduled to include nine teams ranked in this weekÂ’s USTFCCCA poll, including three of the top five and eight of the top 20.

            The next round of computer rankings will be released Jan. 31. For more information regarding Razorback track and field or University of Arkansas athletics, please visit ArkansasRazorbacks.com.

 

USTFCCCA Top 10 (Jan. 24)

1. Oregon

2. LSU

3. ARKANSAS

4. Clemson

5. Texas

6. UCF

7. BYU

8. Texas Tech

9. Florida State

10. Southern Miss

 

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