OXFORD, Ms. – Two-time defending champion Arkansas goals for an additional SEC title in cross nation this Friday on the Ole Miss Golf Course amongst a subject that features sturdy challengers for the league trophy from a pair of nationally ranked groups in Alabama and Tennessee.

“We’re not the favourite in any form or kind, however I believe now we have a shot at it and can give it a run,” said Arkansas males’s head coach Chris Bucknam, who has collected 10 SEC cross nation staff titles with the Razorbacks.

“I do see Tennessee as the primary competitors, they’re ranked somewhat greater than Alabama within the nationwide ballot, and Tennessee defeated Alabama at Notre Dame. I’d give Tennessee the nod with Alabama proper there. Then I believe us, and Ole Miss are chasing these two colleges.”

Begin time for the lads’s 8,000m race is 10:50 a.m. with a dwell broadcast beginning at 10 a.m. on the SEC Community. Dwell outcomes might be accessible: https://dwell.deltatiming.com/meets/18235

There’s free admission to the meet. The Ole Miss Golf Course is positioned at 147 Golf Membership Drive in Oxford. Fan parking is positioned at M-Commerce Park, 328 Outdated Sardis Highway, and there might be a complimentary shuttle offered.

Over the previous 31 SEC Championships held in cross nation, the Razorbacks have claimed a convention report 27 titles. On the 4 events Arkansas didn’t win the staff title, they completed second twice (2009, 2018) and third twice (2008, 2019).

In that span, 12 Razorbacks have gained 15 particular person titles, with the latest victory claimed in 2018 by Gilbert Boit, who’s a volunteer assistant with this 12 months’s staff.

“We’ve gained the final six convention championships over the previous two years in cross nation, indoor and outside monitor,” famous Bucknam of the final pair of SEC Triple Crowns. “I don’t suppose this staff needs to be the one that permit’s go of that rope. So, I do suppose that could be a issue.”

The highest returning members of Arkansas’ squad who raced within the convention meet final season contains Jacob McLeod (fifth) and Myles Richter (tenth) as they have been second and third among the many Razorback squad.

Because of the covid 12 months, Ryan Murphy has the uncommon alternative to race in a fifth SEC Championship race in cross nation. Murphy completed third among the many Arkansas scoring 5 in 2018 and 2019, posting his finest end of ninth general in 2018. Final fall Murphy positioned 18th and was seventh among the many UA crew.

Elias Schreml, who has led the Razorbacks in a pair of meets this fall, raced within the 2021 SEC meet however didn’t end. This season Schreml positioned third within the OSU Cowboy Preview at 5k and completed tenth within the OSU Weis-Crockett Invitational over an 8k distance (23:48.6).

“This can be a five-mile race that’s going to be quick because it’s on a flat course,” stated Bucknam. “You may’t will your self to win. You want expertise and also you want your guys dialed in. It’s not going to occur since you put the uniform on. It’s virtually the other, you might have each arrow getting slinged at you since you are Arkansas.

“I defined to my staff that we’re going to need to earn it by believing in your self and understanding you will get it accomplished. Custom is all the time hanging over us and it’s a little bit of motivation as a result of our guys don’t wish to let go of the rope and be that staff that breaks a streak. Expertise nonetheless issues and we’re going to need to make the most of our abilities and get after it.”

Making their debut within the 2022 SEC Cross Nation Championships are Patrick Kiprop, Reuben Reina, Tommy Romanow, Ben Shearer, and Jack Williams.

“We misplaced 4 of our prime 5 from final season as a consequence of them exhausting their eligibility,” stated Bucknam. “We have now a brand new crew, primarily with a gaggle of redshirt freshmen.”

Kiprop, a switch from Fresno Pacific final January, has raced twice this cross nation season, main Arkansas to a staff victory as the person runner-up (23:24.6) within the Chile Pepper Competition held at Agri Park and putting thirteenth because the second Razorback finisher within the Weis-Crockett meet.

Throughout the 2022 monitor season Kiprop swept the SEC 5,000m titles and added a silver medal within the 10,000m.

“Patrick is a particular athlete,” said Bucknam. “He’s gifted and he received off to somewhat little bit of a gradual begin this fall due to a hip harm. That held again a few of his coaching and he’s catching up now. He’s an exceptional competitor and might be within the combine.”

Ben Shearer, twice named SEC Freshman Runner of the Week this fall, has completed second and third among the many UA crew previously two meets. He produced the highest pair of occasions by a freshman within the league this season with a 23:49.0 at Chile Pepper Competition and 24:07.5 at Oklahoma State.

“A breakthrough for us has been Elias Schreml, a sophomore who’s a sub-4-minute miler,” famous Bucknam. “He actually stepped up. Additionally, Ben Shearer, our redshirt freshman, had a pleasant breakthrough at Oklahoma State. He’s a very gifted athlete, simply attempting to determine it out. He’s not there but, however he’s studying and is a good competitor.”

Older brother Josh Shearer has made a gradual development in his earlier SEC races, bettering by 20 locations in every of the previous couple of years, beginning with seventy fifth in 2019, 56th in 2020, and thirty fifth in 2021.

Nationally ranked packages from the league embody No. 17 Tennessee and No. 22 Alabama with Arkansas receiving votes within the newest prime 30 ballot after being ranked every week beforehand.

Tennessee has claimed 25 cross nation league titles, its final title coming in 1990 the 12 months previous to the Razorbacks becoming a member of the league. Alabama has gained three SEC titles in cross nation, most just lately in 2009 when the meet was held in Oxford.

Headlining the Alabama squad are defending SEC champion Eliud Kipsang and Victor Kiprop, who completed fourth in 2021.

The Tennessee crew is led by a pair of transfers in Dylan Jacobs, the 2022 NCAA 10,000m champion beforehand with Notre Dame, and Yaseen Abdalla, who competed at Texas and anchored (3:55.58, 1,600m) the Longhorns distance medley relay to a 2022 NCAA Indoor title.