FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - The University of Arkansas track and field squad will host the some of the nation's top track and field programs this weekend at the Tyson Invitational at the Randal Tyson Track Center on Friday, Feb. 9.
Action continues on Saturday when for the second year in a row, the Randal Tyson Track Center will serve as the backdrop for a stop on USA Track and Field's Golden Spike Tour. The Golden Spike Tour serves as a "Victory Tour" for some of the nation's elite athletes. The meet will include some of the finest collegiate and professional competitors around.
UA head coach John McDonnell will return to coaching the Razorbacks after missing the first three indoor meets of the season after suffering from a mild heart attack on Sunday, Jan. 14.
"I am looking forward to seeing the guys run this weekend," UA head coach John McDonnell said. "I have seen them workout a few times but that is not the same. We have got to be ready this weekend and get some more people qualified for the NCAA Championships."
Arkansas will be joined by some of the top collegiate teams in the nation. Men's teams competing in Fayetteville this weekend include Abilene Christian, Auburn, Baylor, BYU, Cal. St.-Northridge, Florida, Houston, Kansas, LSU, McNeese State, Nebraska, Northern Iowa, South Carolina, SMU, Texas, TCU, Villanova, Western (Colo.) State and Wisconsin.
With the NCAA Championships being held in a month in Fayetteville, the Hogs are looking for this meet to add to their list of qualifiers.
"We need our field events people and hurdlers to qualify this week," McDonnell said. "We need to get them in. The next meet is the conference meet and there we will just be looking to score points. This is an important weekend for us."
The Tyson Invitational will begin at 3 p.m. on Friday and the Golden Spike Meet will begin at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Razorbacks Scheduled to compete this weekend Chase Atwood 800-meter run Kevin Baker 60-meter dash, 200-meter dash Andy Beasley 800-meter run Andrew Begley 5,000-meter run P.J. Brown pole vault Fernando Cabada 5,000-meter run Danny De La Rosa 800-meter run Alan Dunleavy 5,000-meter run Kenny Evans high jump Orlando Green 60-meter dash, 200-meter dash Chad Grundy 800-meter run Dirk Heinze mile run Eddie Jackson 60-meter dash, 200-meter hurdles, 60-meter hurdles Derrick Johnson 60-meter dash, 200-meter dash Blake Jorgenson pole vault Sharif Karie mile run Evan Kirkconnell pole vault Josh Landreth 800-meter run Sean Lightfoot 800-meter run Daniel Lincoln 3,000-meter run Murray Link 5,000 meter run Chris Mulvaney 800-meter run, mile run Chandun O'Neal 60-meter dash, 200-meter dash Maurice Robinson triple jump Richard Smith long jump Coy Square 800-meter run Ryan Travis 3,000-meter run Michael Thomas 60-meter dash, 60-meter hurdles Jason Ward triple jump Ramon Washington long jump Phil Yoder 5,000-meter run
