FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – After a trip out west, the No. 3 University of Arkansas women’s track and field team returns to its home track this weekend for the John McDonnell Invitational in Fayetteville. The Razorbacks are set to host two other ranked teams as part of the eight-team field. Competition begins Friday at 3 p.m. (CT) and continues Saturday with prime time set for 5 p.m.
Arkansas is up four spots to No. 3 in this week’s USTFCCCA national poll. Through the first two weeks of the outdoor season, the Razorback women have posted 14 top-10 national performances including NCAA-best marks by Alex Gochenour in the heptathlon, Sandi Morris in the pole vault and Dominique Scott at 10,000 meters. Morris and Gochenour lead an Arkansas trio in the top 10 in the pole vault and heptathlon, respectively.
Morris enters the meet on a six-meet winning streak, dating back to the indoor season. Last week, she finished first at the Stanford Invitational with a final clearance of 4.45m/14-7.25. She went on to take attempts at a would-be collegiate record of 4.62m/15-1.75; the current record of 4.61m/15-1.5 is held by former Razorback standout Tina Sutej. Indoor national champions Therese Haiss and Sparkle McKnight are scheduled to compete at 800 meters and in the 400-meter hurdles, respectively.
In addition to the Razorbacks, this weekend’s field at the John McDonnell Invitational is set to include Kansas, Memphis, Minnesota, No. 17 Missouri, Missouri State, No. 13 Oklahoma State and Tulsa. For the first time in meet history, the event will feature high school competition. With the exception of a few college field events Friday, the opening day will feature mostly high school action.
