Chris Johnson is in his first year on the job. Chris Bucknam is in his 16th.
On Wednesday, the brand-new Arkansas women’s track-and-field coach and the veteran Arkansas men’s track-and-field coach, shared an honor. They were each named SEC Indoor Coach of the Year.
Johnson was an assistant under former coach Lance Harter before getting the promotion. Harter thought so highly of Johnson that the latter was named coach-in-waiting. This academic year, he took over and his first SEC Championships – the indoors – Johnson led Arkansas to its 10th straight such crown.
And it wasn’t close. Arkansas finished the meet with 131 points, 51 more than the second-place team, and with having generated points in 14 of the 15 events on the slate.
Bucknam led the men’s team to a fifth straight SEC Indoor title, a number which matches how many straight years he has been named league’s Indoor Coach of the Year. This year’s honor marks the 12th time he has earned the award in 16 years at the helm. Bucknam has also won 11 such honors in cross country and eight in the track-and-field outdoor season.