The NCAA News - News and Features

June 2, 1997

Division I

Arkansas hoping to extend streak

Event: 1997 Division I Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

Overview: Five-time defending champion Arkansas seeks to become only the second school to win as many as six consecutive outdoor titles. The Razorbacks, who also won this year' indoor track title, will rely on their traditionally strong distance and field-events corps. Robert Howard, defending triple-jump champion; Ryan Wilson (5,000- and 10,000-meter runs); and James Ballard (high jump and triple jump) lead the way for coach John McDonnell's squad. Howard, who will also compete in the long jump, and Ballard posted the top qualifying marks in the triple jump and high jump, respectively, through May 14. Seneca Lassiter, owner of the top 1,500-meter run qualifying mark through May 14; Phillip Price (1,500-meter run); Antoine Howard (triple jump); and Sean Kaley (5,000-meter run) also can score .... Among Arkansas' challengers, Texas showcases defending long-jump champion Richard Duncan and Leonard Cobb (triple jump and long jump), while three-time champion LSU is led by Chris Cummings (100-meter dash), Curtis Perry (200-meter dash), and the 400-meter relay quartet of Jermaine Grant, Byron Logan, Perry and Mike Aldridge. Southern Methodist could score well in the throwing events with Alex Tammert (discus throw) and sophomores Jason Tunks (shot put and discus throw), Daniel Gustofsson (javelin throw) and Xavier Tison (hammer throw). Wisconsin looks to hurdles standout Reggie Torian, decathlete James Dunkleberger and Pascal Dobert (3,000-meter steeplechase).

Field: A maximum of 388 student-athletes will qualify for the championships.

Dates and site: June 4-7 at Indiana.

Television coverage: The championships will be broadcast tape-delayed by CBS at 1 p.m. (Eastern time) June 8.

Information/results: The fax-on-demand telephone number is 770/399-3060 (passcode 1915); request numbers are 1620 for dates/site/schedule, 5288 for qualifiers, 5289 for first-day results, 5290 for second-day results, 5291 for third-day results, 5292 for fourth-day results and 5293 for final results only. Championship results also will be available on the World Wide Web at www.ncaa.org. Results will be published in the June 16 issue of The NCAA News.