Reigning champions, college leaders clash at Razorback Invitational

Randal Tyson Track Center in Arkansas to showcase national powers on SEC Network

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

The Razorback Invitational might as well be called the “Pre-Nationals” of indoor track and field, with seven reigning NCAA Division 1 champions, 14 collegiate event leaders and a combined 18 nationally ranked teams scheduled to compete Friday and Saturday at Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, Ark.

The meet will be broadcast on ESPN's SEC Network, beginning at 7 p.m. EST Friday and 2 p.m. EST Saturday.

Four of the top five teams in the country in each gender – with only Oregon missing – will clash in an event that could go a long way toward shaping the landscape for the Division 1 finals March 10-11 in College Station, Texas.

Georgia’s Keturah Orji (women’s triple jump) and Kendell Williams (pentathlon), Arkansas’ Lexi Weeks (women’s pole vault) and Clive Pullen (men’s triple jump), Tennessee’s Christian Coleman (men’s 200), Oklahoma State’s Kaela Edwards (women’s mile) and LSU’s 4x400 relay are the defending NCAA champions expected to participate.

The No. 1 Florida men are led by freshman Grant Holloway – the college leader in the 60-meter hurdles and long jump – and the nation’s top-ranked high jumper in freshman Clayton Brown.

Third-ranked LSU features weight throw leader Johnnie Jackson, No. 5 Arkansas includes Pullen, No. 14 Texas A&M boasts the country’s top college marks in the 400 from Mylik Kerley and the 4x400 relay, with No. 15 Tennessee led by Coleman in the 60-meter dash.

The No. 2 Arkansas women include pole vault leader Tori Weeks, with third-ranked Georgia showcasing college leaders Tatiana Gusin and Madeline Fagan in the high jump, along with Orji in the triple jump.

Fourth-ranked USC arrives with the country’s fastest women’s 4x400 relay, led by Kendall Ellis, who is the No. 2 college performer in the 400. National shot put leader Raven Saunders leads No. 16 Ole Miss and reigning NCAA women’s cross country champion Karissa Schweizer of Missouri is the current indoor leader in the 5,000.

Other nationally ranked men’s teams expected to attend are No. 4 Georgia, No. 10 USC, No. 17 Oklahoma State and No. 19 South Carolina.

Fifth-ranked Florida, No. 7 LSU, No. 17 Tennessee and No. 24 South Carolina are additional women’s teams in the national top 25 scheduled to compete.