FAYETTEVILLE -- The championship season for SEC track and field starts today.
That means winning time for the University of Arkansas women's and men's teams.
When the SEC Indoor Championships will be held today and Saturday at Arkansas' Randal Tyson Track Center, the No. 1-ranked Razorbacks women's team will be going for its 10th consecutive title and 14th overall.
Arkansas' No. 3 men's team is going for its fifth consecutive SEC indoor title and 27th overall.
The Razorbacks' men's and women's teams have more indoor titles than any other SEC schools, even though Arkansas didn't join the conference until the 1991-92 school year.
Arkansas' men's and women's teams have the goal of a second consecutive double sweep. They also both won NCAA Indoor championships last year.
"We're going to take one meet at a time, so we can't put the cart before the horse," Razorbacks women's Coach Chris Johnson said. "The SEC meet is very important to us.
"It's what we look forward to year in and year out, to be able to compete for a conference title. So we've got to get through this meet, and make some smart decisions, but we're full bore.
"Nationals are always in the back of our head, but I think [the SEC Championships are] great for preparing for the next step, and that would be the national meet.
"But we've got to eat what's on our plate right now."
Arkansas men's Coach Chris Bucknam said positioning a team to win both conference and national titles in a two-week span is "a delicate balance," but that the focus this weekend is totally on the SEC meet.
"Obviously we can pitch count some guys if we're fortunate enough at the end of the meet to maybe back some guys off or pull them out of an event," Bucknam said. "But right now we don't plan on doing that.
"We're instructing our team that what you're entered in is what you're going to compete in, and get your mind ready to do it."
Arkansas' women's team has talent and depth in several events, most notably the 400 meters, where senior Amber Anning (50.56 seconds) and junior Nickisha Pryce (51.04) rank 1-2 nationally and freshman Kaylyn Brown (51.49) and senior Rosey Effiong (51.58) rank 5-6.
The Razorbacks also will be looking for big points in the 200, where Anning ranks second nationally (22.60) and freshman Shawnti Jackson is fifth (22.77). Jackson also will run in the 60, where she ranks seventh nationally (7.18).
Arkansas' 1,600 relay of Effiong, Anning, Pryce and sophomore Sanu Jallow leads the nation with a 3:25.59 clocking. Jallow is fourth in the 800 at 2:01.77.
Razorbacks junior Rachel Glenn ranks third nationally in the high jump with a clearance of 6 feet, 2 3/4 inches. As a true freshman at South Carolina, she won the 2021 SEC title at 6-4.
Other key athletes for the Arkansas women include Amanda Fassold, the defending SEC and NCAA pole vault champion; Nia Robinson in the long jump; and Sydney Thorvaldson in the 5,000.
Arkansas' men's team has two national leaders in junior Wayne Pinnock in the long jump (27-4 1/2) and senior Romaine Beckford in the high jump (7-5 1/4).
The Razorbacks have the top four SEC marks in the heptathlon with Jack Turner, Yariel Soto Tornado, Marcus Weaver and Daniel Spejcher.
The Razorbacks also will be looking for big points in the 5,000 from Peter Maru, Patrick Kiprop and Kirami Yego; Jordan Anthony in the 60; Apalos Edwards in the triple jump; Reuben Reina and Ben Shearer in the mile; Tai Brown in the 60 hurdles; and John Scott Kendricks in the pole vault.
"Our kids want to win. We're built that way," Bucknam said when asked about added pressure on Arkansas of being the favorite at home. "If you've looked at our history, we've done a great job at this meet, and I don't think that's going to change.
"Our guys are dialed in to scoring points."
Johnson is in his first season as Arkansas' coach after 12 years as an assistant. He was promoted to replace Lance Harter, who retired in June after winning a combined 45 SEC titles in cross country and indoor/outdoor track and field as well as seven national championships.
"Competing in the SEC is pressure, and understanding what it means to win an SEC title is some additional pressure," Johnson said. "Although our teams are different year in and year out, they don't want to be the ones who lose.
"And so you try to keep winning. Obviously we take great pride in doing that."
Arkansas’ Wayne Pinnock, shown competing in the long jump at last year’s SEC Track and Field Championships, is the national leader in the event going into this year’s championship with a jump of 27 feet, 4 1/2 inches. Both the Arkansas men’s and women’s teams will look to defend their team titles at the event, which begins today in Fayetteville. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Andy Shupe)