Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Arkansas’ track success often omitted
FAYETTEVILLE — It never ceases to amaze.
Any University of Arkansas academic year festered by football floundering in the fall and men’s basketball wallowing in the winter prompts urgent entreaties for baseball Coach Dave Van Horn salvaging a Razorbacks championship.
Too often omitted are the only programs, men’s and women’s track, with coaches who have actually won national championships.
Men’s track Coach Chris Bucknam has won two NCAA team titles and 30 SEC titles upon succeeding the late legend John McDonnell, who finished with 40 NCAA championships and 84 conference championships, in 2008.
Women’s Coach Lance Harter retired, closing 2022-23 with seven NCAA championships and 45 SEC championships in 33 years. Promoted from sprints coach to head coach, Chris Johnson never head coached a championship but is a five-time national Assistant of the Year, recruiting and developing the All-American sprinters so vital to Harter’s indoor and outdoor track championships.
Though some apparently never factor track because it doesn’t have a ball hit, kicked or dribbled, a strong, knowledgable Arkansas fan contingent proudly supports the programs that not only have won the most national championships in Razorbacks history but — at Randal Tyson Track Center and starting April outdoors at John McDonnell Field — annually provide as many home meets as any school in the country.
Freeing himself for expanded head coach obligations, Chris Johnson now shares sprints coaching duties with his older brother and renowned assistant, former Razorback Lawrence “Boogie” Johnson. Bryan Compton continues coaching vaulters, high jumpers and throwers while director of operations Megan Elliott (Megan Jackson when an All-American steeplechaser running for Harter) coaches the distance runners.
Harter’s Razorbacks won 45 SEC team championships, including the 2023 SEC Indoor, which Arkansas will defend when it hosts the SEC Indoor Championships on Friday and Saturday at Randal Tyson.
Bucknam’s Hogs also claimed the 2023 NCAA Indoor title.
Johnson coached all 46 points the 2023 Razorbacks women achieved finishing third at the 2023 NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Johnson’s Razorbacks were nationally ranked No. 1 in last week’s U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association poll.
Bucknam’s Razorbacks were nationally ranked fourth last week but aspire to finish higher at the NCAA Indoor Championships from March 8-9 in Boston.
For now their biggest fish to fry is defending their SEC Indoor title Friday and Saturday at Randal Tyson. To Bucknam, McDonnell imparted a conference legacy that Bucknam and longtime assistants Travis Geopfert and Doug Case deem almost as important as the national championships.
“We’ve got nationals in a few weeks and hopefully we can take care of business at the SEC meet,” Bucknam said. “It’s good that it’s home.
“We’ll try and do it in a way that doesn’t exhaust us for the NCAA meet in two weeks. But the SEC is an important championship.” The contenders are? “Texas A&M is much improved,” Bucknam said. “Florida [the reigning NCAA Outdoor champion] is Florida. They’re always good.”
The Florida Gator women, edging the Razorbacks for last spring’s SEC and NCAA Outdoor titles, loom largest vs. Johnson in his SEC head coaching debut.