Arkansas men’s track and field coach Chris Bucknam said last week that he wanted to have a field events coach hired soon. As expected, he turned to one of his former assistants at Northern Iowa to fill the vacancy on his coaching staff.

  Bucknam announced Wednesday that Travis Geopfert has been hired as Arkansas’ new jumps, throws and multi-events coach. Geopfert replaces Dick Booth, who has moved on to Florida after being fired last month after 27 years with the Razorbacks.

  Geopfert took over as Northern Iowa’s track and field and cross country coach after Bucknam left last summer to replace John McDonnell at Arkansas. Geopfert spent six years with the Panthers, and in his one year as UNI’s head coach, he won the Missouri Valley Conference indoor and outdoor championships. He was also named the 2009 MVC indoor and outdoor coach of the Year.

  ”As we progressed through a national search for the position, it only re-affirmed my assessment that Travis is one of collegiate track and field’s most successful young and talented coaches,” Bucknam said in a statement released through the university. “He has a tremendous ability to relate to student-athletes. They gravitate to him.

  ”Also, his extensive knowledge of all the field events is crucial to the position he is taking on. As an assistant and head coach, he has seen success in every event he has coached. His success and versatility are exactly what I was looking for during this process.”