LITTLE ROCK — NCAA Indoors returning to UA.
The NCAA Indoor track and field national championships will return to Arkansas after a two-year absence in 2013.
Arkansas’ Tyson Track Center was the site for the indoors championship for nine consecutive years after it opened in 2000. Arkansas also hosted the meet this past March.
Indoors was held at Texas A&M in 2009 and will return to College Station in 2011 and be held at Boise State in 2012.
The Razorbacks men have won four national championships at Tyson in 2000, 2003, 2005 and 2006. The Razorbacks finished fifth in 2010.
Tyson Track Center has a seating capacity of 5,500 and has drawn more than 5,000 fans 13 times for national indoor meets. The largest crowd was 5,672 for the second day of the 2001 indoor meet.
“We always welcome another chance to show off our phenomenal facility,” Arkansas men’s Coach Chris Bucknam said. “NCAA track and field student-athletes compete at the highest level, and this is another chance for our fans to see some exciting competition.”
The NCAA also announced Arkansas will host a gymnastics regional at Barnhill Arena in 2012. The women Razorbacks also hosted a regional meet, the South Central Regional, in 2006 and 2009 and advanced to the national championships each year.
“We’re excited about hosting regionals again,” Razorbacks co-Coach Rene Cook said in a statement released through the university. “We have great fans, support staff and an outstanding facility for the championship. A lot of schools would like to host. To be hosting for the third time in seven years is an honor, and we look forward to competing in Barnhill for a chance to advance to the national championship.”
Co-Coach Mark Cook said hosting a regional was good for the program, and not just because of homesite advantage. In 2006, the Razorbacks were ranked 18th but outscored No. 9 UCLA to make nationals, where they finished 12th.
INDOOR FOOTBALL
Diamonds to host playoff game today
The Arkansas Diamonds will host the Corpus Christi Hammerheads today for an Indoor Football League first-round playoff game at Verizon Arena in North Little Rock.
The game starts at 7:05 p.m., and tickets are available starting at $10.
The Diamonds (11-3) are the champions of the Lonestar East Division of the IFL. The Diamonds swept division rival Corpus Christi (6-8) in two games this season, winning 26-18 in the season opener Feb. 28 in Corpus Christi, Texas, and 35-21 April 3 at Verizon Arena.
For information, call (501) 975-5425.
GOLF
UA’s Lingmerth wins for Europe
Former Arkansas Razorback David Lingmerth of Northern Ireland won his singles match Friday at the Palmer Cup, an international collegiate event between the United States and Europe.
Lingmerth defeated John Chin of UC Irvine 2-and-1, but Lingmerth’s European team trails the United States 9-7 heading into today’s final round of the Ryder Cup style tournament at Royal Portrush Golf Club in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.
Lingmerth will take on Jonathan Randolph of Ole Miss today.
Lingmerth lost his two four-ball matches Thursday while teamed with Patrick Spraggs of England.
CROSS COUNTRY/TRACK
UALR’s Kerth named Academic All-American
UALR Senior Whitney Kerth has earned her second consecutive ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America honor, receiving first-team accolades as a member of the cross country and track and field teams.
Kerth, of Perryville, is the third UALR athlete to earn the honor and the second to receive multiple Academic All-America recognition. Kerth, a third-team Academic All-American last year, graduated in May with a bachelor’s degree in economics with a 4.0 grade-point average.
Sports, Pages 27 on 06/26/2010