FAYETTEVILLE -- University of Arkansas Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek knows how to keep a secret.
Lance Harter, who is retiring at the end of June as coach of the Razorbacks' women's cross country and track and field teams, said he had no idea the track at the Randal Tyson Center was being named in his honor until Yurachek announced it Thursday night at a gathering of more than 400 people to celebrate Harter's 33-year career at Arkansas.
A copy of Harter's signature, now embedded on the Mondo track near the finish line, was on display Friday when the SEC Indoor Championships opened at the Randal Tyson Center.
"It was overwhelming and very humbling," Harter said. "I was in shock when they named the indoor track after me and that so many people would take time out of their daily lives to come honor me and toast my career."
Harter, 72, has led Arkansas to six national championships and 43 SEC titles in cross country and indoor and outdoor track. The Razorbacks are ranked No. 2 nationally indoors.
"We wanted it to be a surprise for Lance, and we kept the circle fairly tight of who knew this was coming," Yurachek said. "Our friends from Mondo were gracious enough to fly in Wednesday and do an overnight install on the track, and then they covered it up.
"Somehow we kept Lance from noticing that there's a spot on his track covered up and asking questions about it."
Arkansas' outdoor track is named for John McDonnell, who led the Razorbacks' men's cross country and track and field teams to 40 NCAA titles.
"We knew we wanted to honor Lance in some way," Yurachek said. "John McDonnell has his name on the outdoor track, and we wanted to have some separation between John and Lance because we thought that was appropriate to honor him at the indoor track."
Yurachek said it was an administrative decision made collectively by himself, Arkansas Chancellor Charles Robinson and UA System President Donald Bobbitt last summer to name the indoor track in Harter's honor.
Celebrating Harter's legacy during the SEC Indoor meet seemed appropriate, Yurachek said, because Harter's conference coaching peers were able to take part in honoring him.
Harter said about 150 of his former athletes were in attendance as well.
"I stood on the podium thanking everyone, and as far as I could see there were people lined up," Harter said. "It was absolutely unbelievable. Truly an incredible night of memories.
"There were people from coast to coast that made a point to be here, which means so much."
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey will attend the meet today and take part in a ceremony honoring Harter before the running finals begin.
A formal resolution naming the track in Harter's honor will be voted on by the UA Board of Trustees at the next scheduled meeting March 14-15 in Little Rock.
"We feel fairly confident the board will unanimously approve that," Yurachek said. "We announced it pending board approval, because if we had done it at the meeting, it would have been in a public setting and we couldn't have surprised Lance."