Next week Bucknam’s men and Harter’s women defend their SEC Indoor team titles at the SEC Indoor Feb. 25-26 followed only by the NCAA Indoor Championships March 11-12 in Birmingham, Ala.

“Krissy Gear is going to run the mile,” Harter, whose Razorbacks also are defending NCAA Women’s Indoor champions, said.  “She’s run 4:37 which made it comfortably last year. But as someone explained, 20 percent (because of the covid disruptions caused eligibility extensions) of the college track population is back for their fifth, sixth or even seventh year of eligibility.  So there is a plethora of experienced athletes and the qualifying marks have gone crazy. We’ve been really cautious about over-racing her, she’s only raced twice, and that may be a coaching error.”

Harter said “there are bits and pieces” among other events that need honing before the SEC and NCAA meets.

Bucknam has not assembled a top distance medley foursome until Friday’s meet.

“This is big for the distance medley,” Bucknam said, knowing next week’s SEC meet crew of doubling distance medley runners will be running first for points over a NCAA qualifying time.  “It’s been for our 400-meter runners and we could run Amoi Kemboi in the 3K after he broke Alistair’s (Cragg) school record in the 5K.”