FAYETTEVILLE -- The Arkansas Razorbacks men's and women's track and field teams are doing their part to boost the Austin, Texas, economy this week.
The Razorbacks, who arrived in Austin on Tuesday, are filling up hotels and restaurants for the NCAA West Preliminaries, which run today through Saturday at Texas' Myers Stadium.
The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville has the most combined prelim entries -- East or West -- in the country with 63, including 35 for the men and 28 for the women.
"The Austin Chamber of Commerce must love the Razorbacks," said Lance Harter, coach of Arkansas' No. 2-ranked women's team. "We're going to have a huge economic impact for their city."
The Razorbacks also hope to have an impact at the meet, where the top 12 in each event of 48 competitors will advance to the NCAA Championships held in Eugene, Ore., June 7-10.
The Arkansas men have the most entries in the nation ahead of BYU (31), Texas (29), and Nebraska, Oregon, Texas A&M and UCLA (tied with 27).
"Having the most qualifiers in Austin doesn't guarantee us a point in Eugene," said Chris Bucknam, coach of the No. 7-ranked Arkansas men's team. "We've got to really be dialed in and ready to go."
Bucknam said the Razorbacks can't take the approach of simply making sure to be among the 12 who advance.
"Compete for 12th place?" Bucknam said. "How do you do that?
"We won't move on unless we treat every prelim like a final. We've got to compete to win just like we do at the SEC meet."
Bucknam, in his ninth year at Arkansas, recalled that when he coached at Northern Iowa, the team had a pole vaulter ranked among the national leaders going into the NCAA prelims.
"We overheard this guy say, 'All I need to be is in the top 12,' " Bucknam said. "We said right then, 'That guy's not going to get in,' and he didn't.
"We couldn't change that guy's mindset. So now we try to make sure that all our guys understand what's at stake and hopefully they're dialed in to do their best."
Defending NCAA champion Arkansas has the second-most entrants in the prelims among women's teams behind Oregon, which has 31. LSU is tied with Arkansas with 28. Florida and Texas A&M each have 26.
"Every event is loaded," Harter said. "We're going to definitely have our hands full.
"This meet is really about staying alive and making sure you advance as many to Eugene as you can."
At a glance
NCAA WEST TRACK AND FIELD PRELIMINARIES
WHEN Today through Saturday WHERE Austin, Texas FORMAT The top 12 among 48 competitors in each event advance to the NCAA Championships on June 7-10 in Eugene, Ore.
Sports on 05/25/2017