The NCAA News - News and Features

March 17, 1997

Razorbacks reclaim men's top position

They're back.

One year after seeing its 12-year Division I Men's Indoor Track Championships reign come to an end, Arkansas regained its place atop the throne March 7-8 at the RCA Dome.

Paced by Robert Howard's sweep of the individual long- and triple-jump crowns, the Razorbacks amassed

59 points to double up the field and win their championships-record 13th title.

Auburn equaled its best finish ever, placing second with 27 points. The Tigers also were runners-up in 1978.

Iowa State, Georgia Tech and Oklahoma each scored 25 points to finish in a three-way tie for third.

"We were very young last year. When you win almost every year, it's easy to lose sight of that," Arkansas coach John McDonnell said. "We performed well, and they'll be back next year.

"There was no place that we didn't do well. We couldn't have written a better script."

Howard certainly couldn't have asked for more.

The defending triple-jump champion, Howard won his second straight title in the event and added the long-jump title, soaring 8.16 meters (26 feet, 91/4 inches) on his final attempt to become only the fourth competitor to win both events in the same year.

Razorbacks Mike Conley (1984 and 1985) and Erick Walder (1992 through 1994) and UTEP's Bob Beamon (1968) also swept the events.

Arkansas also piled up points in the distance events as Ryan Wilson, Sean Kaley and Seneca Lassiter registered runner-up showings in the 3,000- and 5,000-meter runs and the mile run, respectively.

James Ballard also posted a third-place showing in the high jump.

While Arkansas stole the team spotlight, Roxbert Martin of Oklahoma occupied the individual spotlight.

Martin, third in the 400-meter dash in 1996, made his presence known in that event by scorching the track in a championships record-breaking time of 45.69 for his first individual indoor title.

Martin's time was one-tenth of a second better than the mark of 45.79 set by Gabriel Luke of Rice in 1990.

After his showing in the individual 400, Martin teamed with the Sooner trio of Edward Clark, Ryan Kite and Danny McFarlane to rewrite the championships record in the 1,600-meter relay 3:04.25. They beat the previous record of 3:04.46 set by Martin, Kite, Justin Chapman and McFarlane in 1996.

Twin brothers Sean and Mark McGehearty of Boston College finished Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, in the 35-pound weight throw.

Championships results

Division I men's indoor track

TEAM RESULTS

1. Arkansas, 59; 2. Auburn, 27; 3. (tie) Iowa State, Georgia Tech and Oklahoma, 25; 6. George Mason, 24; 7. South Caro., 21; 8. Boston College, 18; 9. UCLA, 17; 10. (tie) Tennessee, LSU and Minnesota, 16.

13. (tie) North Caro. and Michigan, 15; 15. (tie) Texas, Washington St. and Eastern Michigan, 13; 18. Nebraska, 12; 19. (tie) UTEP, Baylor and Colorado, 11.

22. Kentucky, 101/2; 23. Long Beach St., 10; 24. Stanford, 9; 25. (tie) Clemson, Louisiana Tech, Illinois St., Iowa, Georgetown, Ohio St., Houston and Texas Christian, 8.

33. Seton Hall, 7; 34. (tie) Texas Tech, Florida, Texas-Arlington, Rutgers and Harvard, 6; 39. (tie) Tulane, Boston U., Alabama and Oklahoma St., 5.

43. (tie) Kansas St., Michigan St., Northern Ariz., Northwestern St., Indiana, Providence, Illinois and Washington, 4.

51. (tie) Wis.-Milwaukee, Idaho St., Air Force, Notre Dame, Miami (Fla.) and Md.-Balt. County, 3; 57. Wisconsin, 21/2; 58. (tie) Idaho, Wichita St., Villanova, Southwestern La., California and Bowling Green, 2.

64. (tie) Navy, Rice and St. John's (N.Y.), 1.

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

55-meter dash: 1. Bryan Howard, Auburn, 6.19; 2. Percival Spencer, Texas Christian, 6.21; 3. Garfield Ellenwood, Seton Hall, 6.23; 4. Frank Nwankpa, Iowa St., 6.25; 5. Leon Gordon, Texas Tech, 6.25; 6. David Bobb, Md.-Balt. County, 6.26; 7. Allen Rossum, Notre Dame, 6.26; Obadele Thompson, UTEP, false start.

200-meter dash: 1. Obadele Thompson, UTEP, 20.67; 2. James Duncan, Illinois St., 20.95; 3. Elston Cawley, Texas-Arlington, 21.09; 4. John Dessoye, Tulane, 21.12; 5. Ed Turner, Washington, 21.12; 6. Thomas Fish, Nebraska, 21.17; 7. Rah'Sheen Clay, Bowling Green, 21.31; 8. Daymon Carroll, Florida, 21.41.

400-meter dash: 1. Roxbert Martin, Oklahoma, 45.69 (meet record; old record, 45.79, Gabriel Luke, Rice, 1990); 2. Clement Chukwu, Eastern Mich., 45.95; 3. Angelo Taylor, Georgia Tech, 46.19; 4. Milton Campbell, North Caro., 46.30; 5. Keith Black, Kansas St., 46.44; 6. Dana Scouten, Idaho St., 47.25; 7. Desmond Johnson, Texas Tech, 47.27; Chris Jones, Houston, disqualified.

800-meter run: 1. David Krummenacker, Georgia Tech, 1:47.49; 2. Aaron Richburg, Auburn, 1:47.99; 3. Balazs Koranyi, Rutgers, 1:48.19; 4. Kevin Murphy, Boston U., 1:48.31; 5. Marvin Watts, South Caro., 1:48.96; 6. Cory Peterson, Wis.-Milwaukee, 1:49.59; 7. Matt Kalwinsky, Georgetown, 1:49.71.

3,000-meter run: 1. Adam Goucher, Colorado, 7:54.20; 2. Ryan Wilson, Arkansas, 7:54.73; 3. Ian Carswell, Harvard, 7:57.03; 4. Tim Broe, Alabama, 7:59.52; 5. Kyle Baker, Michigan St., 8:03.75; 6. Andrew Marx, Air Force, 8:06.50; 7. John Howell, Northern Ariz., 8:08.03; 8. Chris Fogarazzo, St. John's (N.Y.), 8:08.69.

5,000-meter run: 1. Mebrahtom Keflezighi, UCLA, 13:52.72; 2. Sean Kaley, Arkansas, 14:02.01; 3. Chris England, Ohio St., 14:04.52; 4. Christopher Kebenei, Oklahoma St., 14:08.36; 5. Mike Donnelly, Providence, 14:10.88; 6. Rob Reeder, Stanford, 14:11.41; 7. Theo Martin, Northern Ariz., 14:16.02; 8. John Mentzer, Navy, 14:18.25.

Mile run: 1. Julius Achon, George Mason, 3:59.85; 2. Seneca Lassiter, Arkansas, 4:01.30; 3. Jason Lunn, Stanford, 4:02.14; 4. Bernard Lagat, Washington St., 4:02.21; 5. Corey Ihmels, Iowa St., 4:02.42; 6. Ben Reese, Eastern Mich., 4:02.86; 7. Steve Howard, Villanova, 4:03.59; 8. Thomas Reese, Colorado, 4:04.22.

55-meter hurdles: 1. Neil Gardner, Michigan, 7.18; 2. Jeremichael Williams, Clemson, 7.24; 3. Dawane Wallace, Tennessee, 7.27; 4. Victor Houston, Auburn, 7.28; 5. Jason Woods, Iowa St., 7.31; 6. Caldrequis Lesley, Miami (Fla.), 7.32; 7. Maurice Wignall, George Mason, 7.32; 8. Derras Wilmington, Rice, 7.44.

1,600-meter relay: 1. Oklahoma (Edward Clark, Roxbert Martin, Ryan Kite, Danny McFarlane), 3:04.25 [meet record; old record, 3:04.46, Oklahoma (Roxbert Martin, Ryan Kite, Justin Chapman, Danny McFarlane), 1996]; 2. Kentucky, 3:08.47; 3. Baylor, 3:08.50; 4. Florida, 3:08.54; 5. Houston, 3:08.77; 6. Georgia Tech, 3:08.99; 7. Ohio St., 3:09.45; 8. Seton Hall, 3:19.33.

Distance medley relay: 1. George Mason (Miklos Arpasi, Francis Ogola, O'Neil Duncan, Julius Achon), 9:32.27; 2. Washington St., 9:34.03; 3. Georgetown, 9:35.83; 4. Michigan, 9:36.05; 5. Illinois, 9:36.35; 6. Arkansas, 9:41.34; 7. Eastern Mich., 9:45.35; 8. Notre Dame, 9:45.67.

High jump: 1. Eric Bishop, North Caro., 2.29 (7-6); 2. Staffan Strand, Minnesota, 2.26 (7-5); 3. James Ballard, Arkansas, 2.26 (7-5); 4. Shane Lavy, Nebraska, 2.26 (7-5); 5. Terrance Bean, Northwestern St., 2.23 (7-33/4); 6. (tie) Eugene Grundy, Kentucky, and Jeremy Fischer, Wisconsin, 2.20 (7-2); 8. Ivan Wagner, Texas, 2.20 (7-2).

Pole vault: 1. Jason Hinkin, Long Beach St., 5.65 (18-61/2); 2. Tye Harvey, Minnesota, 5.55 (18-21/2); 3. Jacob Davis, Texas, 5.55 (18-21/2); 4. Kurt Hanna, Baylor, 5.45 (17-101/2); 5. Clark Humphreys, Auburn, 5.45 (17-101/2); 6. (tie) Clarence Phelps, California; Scott Slover, UCLA; and Russ Buller, LSU, 5.30 (17-41/2).

Long jump: 1. Robert Howard, Arkansas, 8.16 (26-91/4); 2. Bashir Yamini, Iowa, 7.91 (25-11); 3. Eric Bowers, Georgia Tech, 7.82 (25-8); 4. Mike Alridge, LSU, 7.79 (25-63/4); 5. Darius Pemberton, Houston, 7.72 (25-4); 6. James Ballard, Arkansas, 7.66 (25-13/4); 7. Leonard Cobb, Texas, 7.64 (25-03/4); 8. Niels Kruller, Idaho, 7.53 (24-8).

Triple jump: 1. Robert Howard, Arkansas, 17.04 (55-11); 2. Bryant Wesco, Louisiana Tech, 16.29 (53-51/2); 3. Yago Lamela-Tabio, Iowa St., 16.20 (53-13/4); 4. Jerome Douglas, Oklahoma, 16.19 (53-11/2); 5. Leonard Cobb, Texas, 16.18 (53-1); 6. Antoine Howard, Arkansas, 16.14 (52-111/2); 7. Walter Landry, Southwestern La., 15.94 (52-33/4); 8. Chris Kwaramba, Idaho, 15.79 (51-93/4).

Shot put: 1. Aaron Ausmus, Tennessee, 19.01 (62-4); 2. Ralf Kahles, LSU, 19.00 (62-4); 3. Brad Snyder, South Caro., 18.90 (62-01/4); 4. Travis Haynes, UCLA, 18.86 (61-10); 5. Nathan Davis, Indiana, 18.73 (61-5); 6. Jamie Beyer, Iowa St., 18.51 (60-83/4); 7. Perry Gaskins, George Mason, 18.27 (59-111/4); 8. Gunnar Pfingsten, LSU, 18.25 (59-10).

35-pound weight throw: 1. Sean McGehearty, Boston College, 22.02 (72-3); 2. Mark McGehearty, Boston College, 21.27 (69-91/2); 3. Kevin Mannon, South Caro., 21.11 (69-31/4); 4. Ryan Harrison, South Caro., 20.48 (67-21/4); 5. Scott Warren, Nebraska, 20.38 (66-101/2); 6. Jamie Beyer, Iowa St., 20.28 (66-61/2); 7. Clint Panek, Wichita St., 20.16 (66-13/4); 8. Harri Vahavihu, UTEP, 19.98 (65-63/4).