COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Arkansas claimed the 2014 Southeastern Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships on Saturday in front of 2,846 fans at the Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium on the campus of Texas A&M.
Arkansas scored 121 total team points to capture their third consecutive SEC Indoor Championship and 20th in the last 23 years. Florida finished second with 106 points, while host Texas A&M was third with 83.33 points.
Florida’s Arman Hall and Kentucky’s Matt Hillenbrand tied for the Cliff Harper Trophy, awarded to the meet’s high-points scorer, each tallying 20 points.
Florida’s Eddie Lovett became the first person in SEC history to win four consecutive men’s 60-meter hurdles titles, doing so in a time of 7.67. Arkansas’ Omar McLeod was second in 7.70, while Texas A&M’s Wayne Davis II was third in 7.71.
Kentucky’s Hillenbrand won his second consecutive SEC mile title, doing so in a time of 4:03.80, after winning the 3,000 on Saturday. He is the first athlete to win the men’s mile and 3K in the same year since Florida’s Dumisani Hlaselo accomplished the feat in 2011. Ole Miss’ Sean Tobin was second in 4:06.14, while Alabama’s Matt Airola was third in 4:06.66.
Texas A&M’s Deon Lendore captured his second consecutive SEC indoor 400 title in a collegiate-leading time of 45.03. He became the first repeat winner in the event since Georgia’s Torrin Lawrence in 2010 and 2012. Florida’s Hall was second in 45.28, while LSU’s Vernon Norwood was third in 45.39.
Arkansas went 1-2 in the 5,000 with Solomon Haile winning his team’s first title in the event since 2010. He clocked a winning time of 13:58.64. Teammate Gabe Gonzales was second at 13:59.64, while Auburn’s Ty McCormack was third in 14:01.42.
Kentucky’s Keffri Neal took home the 800 title in a time of 1:48.94, making him the first Wildcat to claim an indoor SEC title in that event since Brian Maslyar in 1987. Florida’s Sean Obinwa, the defending champion in the event, was second in 1:49.79, while Georgia’s Charles Grethen was third in 1:49.86.
Alabama’s Jeremiah Green captured the triple jump event with a leap of 16.29m/53-5.50, giving the school its first title in the event since Maxwell Peters in 1978. Arkansas’ Anthony May was second in 15.91m/52-2.50, while Missouri’s Jonathon Ilori was third in 15.76m/51-8.50.
Ole Miss’ Sam Kendricks won his first SEC indoor pole vault title with a winning mark of 5.54m/18-2, giving the Rebels their first championship in that event since 1985. Two-time defending champion Andrew Irwin of Arkansas was second with a mark of 5.54m/18-2, while Texas A&M’s Chase Wolfle was third at 5.46m/17-11.
Kentucky’s Brad Szypka took home the Wildcats’ first shot put championship since 2004, throwing a winning toss of 19.47m/63-10.50. Alabama’s Kyle Felpel was second at 19.23m/63-1.25, while Florida’s Stipe Zunic was third at 18.97m/62-3.
Ole Miss won its first SEC men’s distance medley relay title, capturing the event with a time of 9:39.54 and using the foursome of Robert Domanic, Montez Griffin, Will Spiers and Tobin. Florida was second in 9:41.66, while Texas A&M was third in 9:42.53.
Texas A&M captured the 4x400-meter relay, using the quartet of Shavez Hart, Aldrich Bailey, Carlyle Roudette and Lendore, shattering its own SEC meet record with a collegiate-record time of 3:03.20. It was the second consecutive title for the Aggies in the event. Texas A&M had previously set the SEC meet record of 3:04.18 last season. Florida finished second in 3:03.50, while LSU was third in 3:04.04.
