Tarik Batchelor will mis the remainder of the season with a patella tendon injury. PHOTO: UA Media Relations

Senior jumper Tarik Batchelor is out for the season with a torn patella tendon in his jumping knee.

The four-time All-American injured the knee before the dual meet against Texas and will miss the remainder of the season.

“Tarik is one of those outstanding athletes for us, a stalwart in the jumps, and just doing a simple drill in practice he ruptured his patella tendon,” Arkansas coach Chris Bucknam said. “We still feel that we have a lot of greater things to accomplish and that we can live up to the rankings.”

Batchelor the 2011 SEC indoor champion, is a huge loss for the Razorbacks. He will also miss the outdoor season, but will be able to attain a medical redshirt and return next season.

Despite his injury, the Hogs are off to a fast start through the first two meets of the season and are ranked No. 2 in the nation following a win in the Arkansas Invitational and against the No. 10 Longhorns.

Arkansas beat the Longhorns 89-81 in a meet that came down the final event.

“We continue as a staff to be really impressed with the Texas dual meet mainly because it gives us a sure program and allows our kids to compete head to head with another team,” Bucknam said.

The next meet is the Razorback Invitational, hosted in the Randall Tyson track center on Jan. 27-28.

Sutej excelling early for Razorback women

Arkansas senior pole vaulter Tina Sutej is off to a solid start for the No. 3 Razorbacks womens’s track team.

Sutej became the first athlete in the nation to post a national qualifying mark of 4.35 meters while winning the event during the Kentucky Invitational.

“Tina has very high expectations of herself,” coach Lance Harter said. “She is a supreme competitor. She is truly a leader of this team.”

Arkansas has gotten off to a solid, winning eight total events in the season-opening Arkansas Invitational, when junior Stephanie Brown set a school record in the 1,000 meters.

The Razorbacks won four events in the Kentucky Invitational on Friday and Saturday.

“We were elated. Kentucky proved to be very very positive for us.” Said head coach Lance Harter “We have some national leaders, Regina George leads the 400 nationally. We have the fastest mile relay in the U.S. Tina Sutej leads the vault and we have seven positions in the top three nationally ranked.”

Arkansas will face tough competition during the Razorback Invitational on Jan. 27-28, including No. 2 LSU, No. 4 Texas, No. 9 Florida and No. 10 Arizona.