NEW ORLEANS — With a pair of top-15 national championship finishes behind them, Arkansas remains in the hunt for the 2017-18 John McDonnell Program of the Year Award, sitting at No. 2 in the latest standings with 18.5 points.
Teams must qualify for each of the NCAA Championships (cross country, indoor and outdoor) to be eligible for the award. A team receives points based on its finish at each championship event (i.e. first = 1 point, 10th = 10 points) and the points are added together with each passing season. The team with the lowest score following the completion of the NCAA Outdoor Championships is determined the winner.
Program of the Year Standings
1. Northern Arizona – 16
2. Arkansas – 18.5
3. Oregon – 19.5
4. Alabama – 23
5. Syracuse – 23.5
Cross Country
The Razorbacks placed fifth at the 2017 NCAA Cross Country Championships led by three-time All-American Jack Bruce who posted his highest career finish in the event, placing 13th. Along with Bruce the Hogs were pushed to their top-five finish by seniors Austen Dalquist and Alex George who finished 43rd and 51st, respectively. Arkansas was the highest-finishing Southeastern Conference team at the national meet.
Indoor Track and Field
Arkansas recently wrapped up its indoor season placing 13th at the 2018 NCAA Indoor Championships this past weekend in College Station, Texas. Seven Razorbacks combined to score 16 points at the meet, with junior Cameron Griffith finishing as Arkansas’ top performer with his bronze-medal performance at 3,000 meters. In addition to Griffith, the Razorbacks picked up five points from 4-x-400-meter relay quartet Roy Ejiakuekwu, Kemar Mowatt, Jamarco Stephen and Obi Igbokwe. Junior Gabe Moore added three points from a sixth-place finish in the heptathlon, while senior Kenzo Cotton added two points from a seventh-place finish in the 200.
2017-2018 Cross Country All-American(s)
Jack Bruce, 13th place
2017-2018 Indoor First Team All-American(s)
Kenzo Cotton – 200 meters, 7th place
Roy Ejiakuekwu – 4-x-400m relay, 4th place
Cameron Griffith – 3,000 meters, 3rd place
Obi Igbokwe – 4-x-400m relay, 4th place
Gabe Moore – Heptathlon, 6th place
Kemar Mowatt – 4-x-400m relay, 4th place
Jamarco Stephen – 4-x-400m relay, 4th place
2017-2018 Indoor Second Team All-American(s)
Jack Bruce – 5,000 meters, 12th place
Kenzo Cotton – 60 meters, 10th place
Obi Igbokwe – 400 meters, 14th place
Laquan Nairn – Long Jump, 11th place
