Posted: February 15, 2005

Athletics: Arkansas Track Still No. 1; Gains Ground in Points Standing

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – After an outstanding team showing at the Powered by Tyson Invitational on Feb. 11-12, the Razorbacks kept their No. 1 national Trackwire 25 ranking for the sixth-straight week. Arkansas also saw its point total increase to 82, the highest of the year. Indiana is in a distant second with 39 points.

Arkansas is one of three Southeastern Conference teams found in the top 10. Florida is tied with Michigan for third (31), while Wisconsin is close behind with 30 points in fifth. Texas is in the sixth position with 28 points. League opponents LSU and Auburn both have 23 points and are tied in seventh place. Rounding out the top 10 with 21 points are Florida State and Nebraska.

UA’s high point total is made possible by the excellent showing Razorback athletes have in Trackwire’s Dandy Dozen. Nine Hogs and two relay teams were ranked among the top 12 collegiate athletes and teams in each NCAA event.

Junior sprinting sensation Tyson Gay is No. 1 in the 60-meter dash, an even he set a new school record (6.55) in on Friday night. Sophomore Wallace Spearmon Jr. is also found at the top in the 200 meters. His top time of 2005 (20.36) is currently leading the world. Gay joins Spearmon in the event at the No. 2 position, while senior Omar Brown is 11th.

In the 400 meters senior Terry Gatson moved up to No. 7. Senior James Hatch also improved his standing and is at No. 5 in the 800 meters. In the mile run junior Said Ahmed is third.

UA’s standout distance runners, sophomore Peter Kosgei and junior Josphat Boit, are both ranked in the 3,000 and 5,000-meter races. Kosgei is third in the 3K and second in the 5K, while Boit is fourth in the 3,000 and sixth in the 5,000 meters.

The Dandy Dozen keeps seeing Arkansas’ solid relay teams move up in ranking. The distance medley relay is second, behind defending NCAA champion, Michigan. After registering an auto time of 3:06.09, the 4x400-meter relay is at No. 4.

Senior Jaanus Uudmae is the only Razorback ranked in a field event. He is fourth in the triple jump after he automatically qualified with a mark of 53-10.50.

The Hogs will not compete this weekend as they prepare to host the SEC Indoor Track and Field Championships on Feb. 25-27. After finishing in second place in 2004 the Razorbacks are primed to try to reclaim the title on their own track in Fayetteville, Ark. If Arkansas is victorious it would mark the program’s 24th indoor conference championship and 11th SEC crown.

Complete Trackwire 25 Rankings:
1. Arkansas            82
2. Indiana               39
3. Michigan             31
     Florida               31
5. Wisconsin           30
6. Texas                 28
7. LSU                    23
     Auburn                23
9. Florida State  21
     Nebraska            21
11. Oregon              19
       Oklahoma          19
13. Texas Tech   17
14. Arizona             16
       Arizona State  16
       East Carolina          16
       Mississippi          16
       Baylor              16
       Kansas State  16
20. Colorado State  15
21. BYU                  14
22. Virginia Tech   13
23. Tennessee          10
       Texas A&M   10
25. UCLA                9
       George Mason 9