2008 Woodie Awards
Track Hogs capitalize at Last Chance
Matt Watson
Issue date: 3/10/08 Section: Sports
The Arkansas men and women's track teams are peaking at just the right time.
With the NCAA Championships set for Friday in Fayetteville, the No. 8 Razorbacks distance medley relay team punched its ticket to nationals at the Arkansas Last Chance, and sprinter J-Mee Samuels, long jumper Daniel Quinn and pole vaulter Spencer McCorkel all improved their NCAA provisional marks.
"That was our last chance and we did it," Arkansas head coach John McDonnell said. "I was really pleased with the DMR because they looked very good during the race. That was very encouraging."
The DMR's 9:30.08 time cleared the 9:34 automatic qualifying time and is the second-fastest time in the country this season. The 9:30 mark ranks fourth in school history.
The Arkansas Track Club of former Razorbacks that included Wallace Spearmon and Josphat Boit paced the UA quartet of Daniel LaCava, Chris Bilbrew, Andy McClary and Micky Cobrin.
LaCava and McClary both set personal records in the 1200-meter and 800-meter splits, respectively.
Samuels' 21.04 in the 200-meter dash was just off the 20.83 automatic mark.
"Every meet I have clocked a faster time in the 200 meters," Samuels said. "It was just a matter of time before I ran quick enough to get into nationals."
"Hopefully J-Mee's [Samuels] time will get him in to the 200 meters. Hopefully Spencer [McCorkel] can make it in the vault. That would be a great experience for a freshman."
McCorkel is 18th on the NCAA pole vault list after a season best 17-foot, 3-inch mark.
Quinn set a personal best in the long jump Friday, good for 20th on the national list, but he also ranks 10th on the NCAA list in the triple jump.
The No. 13 Lady'Backs' 4x400-meter relay team and distance runner Dacia Barr both improved their season best marks at the Alex Wilson Invitational.
The 4x4 tandem of Courtenay Brown, Tominque Boatright, Shelise Williams and Paige Farrell ran together for the first time and clocked a 3:35.10 time, the fifth-best mark on the national performance list this season. All four runners ran splits less than 54 seconds.
Barr ran a career-best 4:39.07 mile for an automatic NCAA mark, the fourth for the women's team this season.
Seniors Peter-Gaye Beckford (long jump) and Etienne Chaplin (pentathlon) and junior Christine Kalmer (3,000 meters) have also earned automatic marks.
Lady'Back head coach Lance Harter said he is confident that the NCAA will select as many as four additional marks and times for the national meet including the 4x400-meter relay, Katie Stripling (pole vault), Stephanie Irwin (pole vault) and Makeatha Cooper (60-meter hurdles).
"I am pleased with the way we got the job done this weekend. Now we turn our attention to the NCAA Championships," Harter said.
The NCAA Indoor Track and Field Committee will finalize the list of qualifiers for nationals today.
With the NCAA Championships set for Friday in Fayetteville, the No. 8 Razorbacks distance medley relay team punched its ticket to nationals at the Arkansas Last Chance, and sprinter J-Mee Samuels, long jumper Daniel Quinn and pole vaulter Spencer McCorkel all improved their NCAA provisional marks.
"That was our last chance and we did it," Arkansas head coach John McDonnell said. "I was really pleased with the DMR because they looked very good during the race. That was very encouraging."
The DMR's 9:30.08 time cleared the 9:34 automatic qualifying time and is the second-fastest time in the country this season. The 9:30 mark ranks fourth in school history.
The Arkansas Track Club of former Razorbacks that included Wallace Spearmon and Josphat Boit paced the UA quartet of Daniel LaCava, Chris Bilbrew, Andy McClary and Micky Cobrin.
LaCava and McClary both set personal records in the 1200-meter and 800-meter splits, respectively.
Samuels' 21.04 in the 200-meter dash was just off the 20.83 automatic mark.
"Every meet I have clocked a faster time in the 200 meters," Samuels said. "It was just a matter of time before I ran quick enough to get into nationals."
"Hopefully J-Mee's [Samuels] time will get him in to the 200 meters. Hopefully Spencer [McCorkel] can make it in the vault. That would be a great experience for a freshman."
McCorkel is 18th on the NCAA pole vault list after a season best 17-foot, 3-inch mark.
Quinn set a personal best in the long jump Friday, good for 20th on the national list, but he also ranks 10th on the NCAA list in the triple jump.
The No. 13 Lady'Backs' 4x400-meter relay team and distance runner Dacia Barr both improved their season best marks at the Alex Wilson Invitational.
The 4x4 tandem of Courtenay Brown, Tominque Boatright, Shelise Williams and Paige Farrell ran together for the first time and clocked a 3:35.10 time, the fifth-best mark on the national performance list this season. All four runners ran splits less than 54 seconds.
Barr ran a career-best 4:39.07 mile for an automatic NCAA mark, the fourth for the women's team this season.
Seniors Peter-Gaye Beckford (long jump) and Etienne Chaplin (pentathlon) and junior Christine Kalmer (3,000 meters) have also earned automatic marks.
Lady'Back head coach Lance Harter said he is confident that the NCAA will select as many as four additional marks and times for the national meet including the 4x400-meter relay, Katie Stripling (pole vault), Stephanie Irwin (pole vault) and Makeatha Cooper (60-meter hurdles).
"I am pleased with the way we got the job done this weekend. Now we turn our attention to the NCAA Championships," Harter said.
The NCAA Indoor Track and Field Committee will finalize the list of qualifiers for nationals today.
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