FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 2012 – MEDIA RELATIONS CONTACT: Zach Lawson (zlawson@uark.edu)

 

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS MEN’S TRACK AND FIELD

Top-10 triangular meet at Arizona State

 

            FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – For a second consecutive competition, the No. 5 University of Arkansas men’s track and field team will spend the weekend on the road with the Arizona State Tri-Meet. Competition in the field events begins Saturday at 12:30 p.m. (CT) with running events slated for a 5 p.m. start at Sun Angel Stadium in Tempe, Ariz.

Arkansas will be joined at the meet by SEC rival No. 3 LSU and host No. 7 Arizona State. The Razorbacks are entered in 13 of the 18 events to be contested Saturday. In field action, Arkansas will be represented in the pole vault, discus, long jump, high jump and javelin. On the track, the team will have competitors in all but two events, the 100 meters and 3,000 meters.

Entering the weekend, the Razorbacks have six top-10 event rankings on the national performance list. Andrew Irwin is ranked No. 1 in the pole vault with his 5.60m/18-4.5 clearance at the season-opening Arkansas Spring Invitational. In the 3,000-meter steeplechase, David Flynn (8:49.24) and Rick Elliott (8:51.03) have the fifth- and eighth-fastest times in the NCAA, respectively. Marek Niit opened his outdoor campaign with a wind-legal 10.19 at 100 meters, the No. 8 time in the country

The Razorbacks’ 4x100 and 4x400 relays are both ranked ninth in the country. Irwin, Niit and both relay teams are scheduled for competition this weekend at Arizona State.

            Arkansas remains a top-five national team in the April 10 release of the USTFCCCA national poll. The Razorbacks dropped one spot to a No. 5 ranking this week. There are four SEC teams ranked in the top 10 and seven from the league ranked in the top 25 overall. Along with the Razorbacks, the SEC is represented by Florida, LSU, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Georgia and Auburn.

            The Arizona State Tri-Meet is Arkansas’ third event of the outdoor season. Next week, the Razorbacks’ multi-event competitors begin their campaign at the Mt. SAC Relays. The rest of the team will split between the John McDonnell Invitational (April 20-21) in Fayetteville and the Mt. SAC Relays in Walnut, Calif.

Coverage of the Arizona State Tri-Meet will include live results and an interactive blog, which will begin at 2 p.m. (CT). For more information regarding Razorback track and field or University of Arkansas athletics, please visit ArkansasRazorbacks.com.

 

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