Razorbacks, defending Divison 1 women’s indoor champs from 2019 following cancellation of last year’s meet in New Mexico, also planning to host NCAA Championships for first time since 2015 at renovated Randal Tyson Track Center

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Arkansas was already scheduled to host the Southeastern Conference Indoor Championships and NCAA Division 1 Indoor Championships, but the Razorbacks confirmed Monday they will also be holding five home meets in January and February at the renovated Randal Tyson Track Center.

In addition to the annual Razorback Invitational on Jan. 29-30 and Tyson Invitational on Feb. 12-13, the school will also be hosting the Arkansas Invitational on Jan. 16, the Woo Pig Classic on Jan. 22 and the Arkansas Qualifier on Feb. 5.

The SEC Championships are scheduled for Feb. 25-27, with the NCAA Indoor Championships on March 12-13, with the Razorbacks hosting the latter event for the first time since 2015. It marks the 13th time Arkansas has hosted the Division 1 Indoor final, along with the 10th occasion the Razorbacks will be hosting the SEC Indoor Championships.

And it will be the seventh time since 2000 that Arkansas has hosted both indoor meets in the same year.

“The SEC and NCAA Championships are very important meets for us,” Arkansas men’s coach Chris Bucknam said in a press release. “It’s huge to be hosting them and we want to have a great competition for all the teams coming in. I think everyone will be very pleased and surprised with the upgrades we’ve made.

“Our officials do a phenomenal job, and they will again this year with championship meets we have scheduled. What makes a great meet is the competition, the venue, and the professional officials we have. It’s a recipe for a great meet.”

Arkansas will host 24 teams from Power Five Conferences – including 10 from the SEC – at its five home meets, along with Arkansas State, Central Arkansas, Arkansas-Little Rock and Arkansas-Pine Bluff in its Jan. 16 indoor opener.

“My hat is off to our administration, to the Tyson family, and the SEC for never letting go of the rope and finding a way for our kids to compete,” Bucknam said. “We desperately need some competition for the group of kids who haven’t competed since the 2020 SEC Indoor Championship last February.”

The Razorbacks swept both SEC Indoor titles last year at Texas A&M and are still the reigning NCAA Indoor women’s team champions from 2019 in Alabama, since the Coronavirus pandemic canceled last year’s Division 1 final in March in Albuquerque, N.M.

“With the wisdom and insight from the SEC offices, along with our leadership from Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek, we are full steam ahead in hosting some of the best indoor meets in 2021,” Arkansas women’s coach Lance Harter said in a press release. “Our traditional headline meets, the Razorback and Tyson Invites, will be loaded with great talent from the top teams in the nation.

“As the defending SEC and NCAA indoor (championship) team, we have a team with experience and talent. We look forward to the challenge.”

Texas Tech matches Arkansas by also hosting five home meets, in addition to the Big 12 Indoor Championships, scheduled for Feb. 26-27.

The Red Raiders begin Jan. 16 with the Corky Classic, followed Jan. 23 by the Red Raider Invitational. The Texas Tech Invitational is scheduled for Jan. 29-30, with the Texas Tech Shootout on Feb. 12-13 and concluding Feb. 19 with the Matador Qualifier.

“I’m so excited to bring our Big 12 schools back here again,” Texas Tech coach Wes Kittley said in a press release. “Two years ago, nearly every (Big 12 Conference Championship meet) record was broken on this track. The large radius and wide lines make a huge difference, and when you combine that with the great teams the Big 12 has, you’re going to get championship results.”

Kansas State has four home events on its schedule, beginning Jan. 9 with the Wildcat Invitational and concluding Feb. 20 with the Steve Miller Open.

The Wildcats also have a triangular meet Jan. 16 against Kansas and Wichita State, in addition to the weekend of Feb. 5-6, when Kansas State will hold the Austra Skujyte women’s pentathlon and Steve Fritz men’s heptathlon competition the first day, followed by the DeLoss Dodds Invitational the second day.

Texas A&M, which has been host to both SEC and NCAA Indoor meets in recent years, announced Saturday it will be hosting three meets at the Gilliam Indoor Stadium in January and February, starting Jan. 16 with the Ted Nelson Invitational.

The Aggie Invitational is scheduled Jan. 23 and the Charlie Thomas Invitational on Feb. 6 will conclude the home slate for Texas A&M, which is also scheduled to travel to Lubbock for the Texas Tech Invitational on Jan. 29-30 and to Fayetteville for the Tyson Invitational in the Aggies’ final tuneup Feb. 12-13 before the SEC Indoor Championships.

“Despite limiting the field to about five schools, all of the meets will field good competition,” Texas A&M coach Pat Henry said. “We’ll be competing on three of the best tracks in the country. It’s going to be a competitive season.”

South Carolina is expected to host four meets, beginning Jan. 16 with the Gamecock Opener and Jan. 23 with the Carolina Challenge. The biggest event for the Gamecocks will be Feb. 5-6 with the South Carolina Invitational, followed by Feb. 13 at the USC Indoor Open.

Clemson is scheduled to host four home meets, along with the Atlantic Coast Conference Indoor Championships, which will be held Feb. 25-27.

The Tigers, in what is expected to be their final season featuring both teams before cutting men’s track and field, will begin Jan. 9 with the Orange and Purple Elite meet, followed by Jan. 15-16 at the Clemson Invite, Jan. 29-30 at the Bob Pollock meet and Feb. 12-13 at the Tiger Paw Invitational.

Virginia Tech has four home events on its calendar, beginning Jan. 15-16 at the Virginia Tech Invitational, followed Jan. 22-23 by the Hokie Invitational. The Hokies have the Doc Hale Elite Meet on the schedule Feb. 5-6, and wrap up their home meets Feb. 19-20 with the Virginia Tech Challenge.

LSU has three home meets on its schedule, beginning Jan. 16 with the Purple Tiger invitational, followed by Jan. 29 with the Louisiana Invitational and Feb. 19 with the LSU Twilight event.

Vanderbilt is slated to host three events, starting Jan. 15-16 with the Commodore Indoor, followed Jan. 22-23 by the Vanderbilt Invitational and then Feb. 12-13 with the Music City Challenge.

Iowa State has two home meets currently on its calendar, with the Iowa State Cyclone Invite on Jan. 23, along with the Iowa State Classic on Feb. 12-13.

Kentucky will be hosting the McCravy Green Invitational on Jan. 15-16 and Kansas is scheduled to have its lone home meet Jan. 22-23 at the Jayhawk Classic. The Houston Classic on Jan. 29-30 is the single home event on the Cougars’ schedule.

The Birmingham CrossPlex has several collegiate events on its calendar, including the Conference USA Indoor Championships on Feb. 20-21, Sun Belt Conference Indoor Championships on Feb. 22-23 and Southern Conference Indoor Championships on Feb. 27-28, along with regular-season meets hosted by University of Alabama Birmingham, Samford and South Alabama.

The Blazer Invite is scheduled for Jan. 15, with the Vulcan Invite on Jan. 16, both hosted by UAB. The first Samford Invitational is scheduled for Jan. 22-23, with the second event of the same name being held Feb. 12-13. The Jaguar Invitational, hosted by South Alabama, is scheduled for Feb. 7.