Oregon, Tennessee hoping to defend indoor track championships at NCAA meet

Oregon, Tennessee hope to defend track titles

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Track coaches are often quick to talk about how unpredictable the sport is when a big meet is coming up.

On Thursday — the day before the start of the NCAA indoor track and field championships — Texas A&M’s Pat Henry and Arkansas’ Chris Bucknam came armed with data.

“There are 16 men running the mile, and everybody’s under four minutes,” Henry marveled. “Sixteen men running all under four minutes is incredible.”

“And you look at the 200,” Bucknam chimed in. “Three tenths of a second separate one through 16.”

The Oregon men and Tennessee women are the defending indoor champions, but there are plenty of other contenders at the two-day meet. In fact, Henry’s school was the big winner at the last NCAA track and field championships, sweeping the men’s and women’s titles at the outdoor meet in Fayetteville last June.

That men’s race nearly ended in a four-way tie for first.

Along with Oregon and Texas A&M, Florida is expected to be a major contender for the men’s title this week. Jeff Demps, who is also a running back for the Gators, is one of the nation’s top sprinters.

On the women’s side, Oregon will have 16 entries, a healthy number of scoring opportunities for one of the nation’s top teams.

Oregon coach Vin Lananna said Wednesday he would not travel with his school’s teams because of blood pressure issues, although he left open the possibility of coming later in the week.

“We hope the best for him. I really don’t know all the details,” Bucknam said. “Vin’s one of those good guys. We just hope that he stays healthy. His team is well prepared I’m sure, and they’re going to try to bring a title home.”

The Arkansas men, for years the nation’s dominant program under John McDonnell, are coming off a tight victory for the Southeastern Conference title. The Razorbacks edged Florida and LSU at the same venue where the NCAA championships will be held.

“I think we’re somewhat battle hardened from the SEC meet,” Bucknam said. “We’re going to put our best foot forward and see what we can do.”

The Arkansas men have won 40 national championships in track and field and cross country. This year’s Razorbacks are particularly strong in the long jump. Alain Bailey is the NCAA leader, and Tarik Batchelor is ranked No. 3.

“We’ve got two outstanding athletes competing in that, and it would do us a world of good if they performed like they’re capable of performing,” Bucknam said. “Last year that didn’t happen and it kind of took the wind out of our sails.”

The Thursday news conference included two Arkansas coaches, a Florida coach, an LSU coach — and Henry, who coached LSU before heading to Texas A&M a few years ago.

“It’s really good to see the SEC so well represented here,” Arkansas women’s coach Lance Harter said. “We sent Pat to the SEC to be groomed. Then he didn’t cut it so we had to move him on to the Big 12.”

Henry took the joke with good humor.

“I was wondering who organized this deal,” he said.