Pep Rally Celebration Set for NCAA Champions

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – In celebration of its national team title at the 2013 NCAA Indoor Championships, the University of Arkansas will host a pep rally for its men’s track and field team. The pep rally will be held Friday, April 5, at the Arkansas Union Mall on campus from 12:30-1 p.m. and is open to the public. Head coach Chris Bucknam and members of the indoor championship team will be in attendance along with the Razorback pep band and spirit squad.

Jeff Long, vice chancellor and director of athletics, and Tori Pohlner, president of Associated Student Government, will also speak at the pep rally. While supplies last, pizza will be provided for U of A students in attendance and NCAA Championship posters will also be available. Paid meter parking for the public will available in the Stadium Drive Parking Garage.

The Razorback men won the program’s 20^th NCAA indoor title and 41^st overall with their victory at the 2013 NCAA Indoor Championships March 8-9 at the Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville. Arkansas scored 74 points with the help of NCAA event titles from Andrew Irwin in the pole vault, Kevin Lazas in the heptathlon and the team’s 4x400-meter relay. The relay team of Neil Braddy, Caleb Cross, Akheem Gauntlett and Marek Niit won the national title in a collegiate-record time of 3:03.50.

On the heels of the team’s title, Bucknam was named the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association's National Coach of the Year; Travis Geopfert received USTFCCCA National Assistant Coach of the Year honors; and the Razorbacks collected 25 All-America accolades including a nation-leading 17 first-team awards. The Razorbacks’ 74 points at the national indoor meet are the most by any team since 1994 when Arkansas racked up 94 points.

Arkansas began the postseason with a victory at the 2013 SEC Indoor Championships, also in front of its home fans at the Tyson Center. The win was the program’s 19^th SEC indoor title and fourth under Bucknam. Dating back to the 2011 outdoor meet, the Razorbacks have reeled off six consecutive SEC event titles.

For more information regarding Razorback track and field or University of Arkansas athletics, please visit ArkansasRazorbacks.com. Fans can also keep up with Arkansas cross country and track and field through the team’s sport-specific RazorbackTF Facebook and Twitter pages.