Hogs advance 28 athletics to NCAA West prelims next week

FAYETTEVILLE — With all eyes focused on the NCAA Championships, Arkansas will head to Sacramento, California, next weekend with a plane full of Hogs entered in the NCAA West Preliminary meet slated to run May 23-25 at Hornet Stadium hosted by Sacramento State University.

The NCAA West Preliminary meet is one of two regional events, which serve as the first round of the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Athletes gain entry into the competition by having one of the top 48 best marks of the region (East or West) in their respective events.

In order to advance to the final round in Austin, Texas an athlete must finish among the top-12 best (per region) in their respective events.

Razorback entries

Arkansas will make the cross country trek to the 2019 NCAA West Prelims with 28 entries (in 16 of 21 events).

One of those entries, multi-event performer Gabe Moore, automatically passes on through to Austin off his best decathlon score from earlier this season.

This is the third-straight season for Moore to advance to the NCAA meet in the decathlon. This is the 10th-straight year that the Razorbacks will be represented in the decathlon.

Teams with athletes in the decathlon 2+ years in a row
10 – Arkansas
7 – Georgia
4 – Texas A&M
3 – Wichita St, Michigan St, Kent St, Rice
2 – Wisconsin, UTSA, Kansas St, Dartmouth, Stanford

Arkansas also has multiple entries in the 100-meters, 400-meters, 800-meters, 1500-meters, 5k, 10k, 110-meter hurdles, 400-meter hurdles.

Arkansas is also one of 14 schools (Arizona, Arkansas, Baylor, BYU, Cal St. Fullerton, Houston, Iowa, Nebraska, Oregon, Stephen F. Austin, TCU, Texas Tech, UCLA, UT-Arlington) to qualify both the 4×100-meter and 4×400-meter relay for the regional meet this year and have accomplished the feat every year of regional format that began in 2010.

Year-by-Year Entry Count (National Finish)

• 2019 – 28 (TBD)
• 2018 – 35 (12th)
• 2017 – 35 (4th)
• 2016 – 41 (2nd)
• 2015 – 17 (3rd)
• 2014 – 29 (T-9th)
• 2013 ¬ 29 (3rd)
• 2012 – 38 (8th)
• 2011 – 26 (T-10th)

Relay royalty

In the current regional format that began in 2010, Arkansas is one of only three programs that have advanced a 4×100-meter relay and 4×400-meter relay to the prelim every year.

The other schools who have accomplished the feat are Florida and LSU. Arkansas is the only school in the West Region to have both a 4×100 and 4×400 qualify to the NCAA Prelims every year of regional format.

Four events with three Hogs

At the West prelims, four out of the 16 events in which Arkansas has entries will feature three Razorbacks on the line. Coach Chris Bucknam’s crew boasts tremendous depth in the 100 meters, 5,000 meters, 10,000 meters, and the 110-meter hurdles.

Returning NCAA qualifiers (Final Round)

Two Razorbacks from the 2018 NCAA outdoor 12th-place team return to guide a new group towards national success. Qualifiers from last years outdoor championships making the trek this year include seniors Cameron Griffith and Gabe Moore.

2019 NCAA West Preliminary Event Breakdown

100-meters
Hari, Ejiakuejwu, Oglesby

200-meters
Boyd

400-meters
Woodhall, Brown

800-meters
Taylor, Pareti

1,500-meters
Griffith, Moehn

5,000-meters
Boit, Griffith, Young

10,000-meters
Boit, Young, Murphy

110-meter hurdles
Chattoo, Elliott, Gilbert

400-meter hurdles
Caldwell, Hilson

4×100 meter relay
Arkansas

4×400 meter relay
Arkansas

Long Jump
Nairn

Triple Jump
Nairn

Hammer Throw
Sullins

Decathlon (Through to NCAA’s in Austin)
Gabe Moore