From The Desk of Your AD

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Greetings Fellow Razorbacks!

It has been nearly a month since I last touched base with the Razorback Nation. What a month it has been! I have spent many hours and days throughout the state to meet and listen to many of you who are such an important part of our program. I’ve heard what you feel like is going well and what you would like to see done differently. And while there are differing opinions among Razorbacks both near and far, what is universal is the unwavering commitment of our supporters to fielding a nationally competitive intercollegiate athletics program.

As you might imagine, I have been asked numerous times what has made the biggest impression on me in the first few months on the job. Unequivocally, I can answer that the passion this state has for the Razorbacks is unrivaled and has exceeded my lofty expectations. From Fayetteville to Pine Bluff, Little Rock to West Memphis, Jonesboro to El Dorado and all points in between, we are ALL Razorbacks.

I have shared with anyone who will listen, that while I wasn’t born in Arkansas, I got here as soon as I could! For my family, it has truly been an extraordinary experience. Thank you to all those who have extended such a warm welcome. I am looking forward to continuing to get to embrace the fabric of this state and continuing the dialogue with those who have invested in our program for generations, both emotionally and financially.

My travels around the state have also given me an opportunity to share what I believe are the core elements of a successful intercollegiate athletics program. In fact, I have printed up special information cards that I take with me everywhere I go to distribute. The card outlines what our vision, mission, purpose, focus and guiding principles are for this program.

In case I don’t get a card to you personally in the next few months, I’ve included it at the bottom of this page. Be sure to take a look and feel free to share it with other Razorback fans along the way. Recently, I also had an opportunity to sit down with our own Brett Dolan to talk about the first few months and all that we have going on in Razorback Athletics.

Bringing Home the Hardware

It is time to add another SEC trophy to the trophy case! Coach Lance Harter and the Razorback women’s track and field team lapped the field at the 2018 SEC Indoor Track and Field Championships last weekend in College Station, Texas. It was the 12th consecutive conference title for the women’s program, inclusive of cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field.

With our sustained success, it would be easy to take championships for granted, but each and every one of our conferences titles is an extraordinary accomplishment. Our men’s team narrowly missed a conference crown of its own, finishing second in the team competition by only three points. Both the men and women will now focus on the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships to be held in two weeks on the same track in College Station.

Our track and field programs aren’t the only Razorback sports making a mark nationally. Entering the week, six of our sports are ranked nationally with another looming just outside the nation’s top 25 listings. Women’s track and field is ranked second in the nation after its SEC Championship performance, while men’s track and field is third in the men’s rankings. Women’s golf and men’s golf will be back in action this weekend sporting their No. 3 and No. 19 national rankings, respectively. Baseball was a consensus pre-season top-10 ranked team and enters the week with a record of 5-2 and a No. 5 ranking. Gymnastics is ranked No. 10 heading into its a home meet against Arizona on Friday. Softball is off to a torrid 9-1 start and sits just outside the national rankings.

Red-White Spring Football Game and NWA Family Event

As I shared with you in my last letter, we are taking the Spring Game on the road to War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. The introduction of a new football coaching staff and the ongoing construction at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium has afforded us a unique opportunity to share the Red-White game with our fans throughout the state. Since that announcement, I have heard from many around the state who are excited about the upcoming events in both Central and Northwest Arkansas.

Plan on joining us in Central Arkansas, April 6-7 for an exciting 2018 Arkansas-Red White Spring Game weekend. On Friday, April 6, Arkansas fans will have the opportunity to meet the Razorbacks at the Arkansas Travelers baseball game at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock. Coach Chad Morris is set to throw out the first pitch before the Travelers face the San Antonio Missions at 7:10 p.m. CT.

On Saturday, April 7, we will move to War Memorial Stadium for the 2018 Arkansas Red-White Spring Football Game. Festivities begin at 9 a.m. with the Spring Game Fan Fest in Parking Lot 5 on the east side of War Memorial Stadium. The Fan Fest will include inflatables, a visit from Tusk, music and much more. Kickoff for the 2018 Red-White Spring Game is set for 1 p.m. Both the Fan Fest and the Spring Game have free admission and are open to the public.

The following weekend on Saturday, April 14, Coach Chad Morris will be back on campus to meet fans and sign autographs as part of HogFest presented by Pepsi. The event will run from 9 a.m. – Noon at the Razorback Gardens just south of Bud Walton Arena. In addition to an autograph session with Coach Morris, the free event will feature inflatables, music, appearances by the spirit squads and Tusk. Whether it is in Little Rock or in Fayetteville, we hope to see you this spring as we get ready for the 2018 football season. Continue to follow ArkansasRazorbacks.com for more details on both events.

Cardinal and White

Since assuming my role as your Director of Athletics, some of you have reached out concerning our occasional use of alternate uniforms. As always, I welcome your feedback and appreciate the passionate opinions of loyal Razorback fans of all ages. Some of you have expressed concern because you believe that the use of alternate uniforms is more than just a change of pace, but rather a sign of things to come. I can assure you that we have no intention of changing our official school colors. Cardinal and White are and will remain our primary uniform colors, such traditions are important not only to our athletics program but to the entire University of Arkansas community.

The fact is that many of our current student-athletes and prospective student-athletes view alternative uniforms in a much different manner. While they fully embrace the tradition of our classic Cardinal and White, they also embrace the opportunity to compete in a variation of traditional uniform colors on select occasions.

As Director of Athletics, I have an obligation to ensure our program continues to grow and that we can attract outstanding young men and women to be a part of our sport programs. It is important to equip our coaches with all the resources necessary to recruit young men and women that will help us compete for and win championships.

I’m excited about the days and months to come as winter sports reach their championship seasons and spring sports roll into conference play. It is an exciting time at the University of Arkansas and, as always, it is a GREAT time to be an Arkansas Razorback!

Go Hogs!

Hunter