The Alabama track and field team will travel to Baton Rouge, La., this weekend to compete in the LSU Alumni Gold meet. Alabama will race against top powerhouses LSU and Texas A&M.
Previously, the Crimson Tide bested many times at the Spec Towns Invitational in Ga., which includes setting the world’s fastest 100-meter dash by Diondre Batson. Batson was named SEC Athlete of the Week Tuesday for his 10.06-second win.
Batson’s accomplishments come during a slew of improvements by the Tide. Freshman long jumper Callie Ives and senior pole-vaulter Alexis Paine also beat previous school records, both placing third in their events. Coach Dan Waters said his team has a solid nucleus and is now getting into the groove of things.
“We have a lot of young athletes that are still figuring [everything] out, but some of the older athletes are pretty well-established to everything,” Waters said. “We’re now getting into the groove and tracking everything. We don’t want to get off track this weekend.”
Waters said the team is using the LSU meet as a “precursor to the SECs,” which will be held in Missouri in two weeks. The hot, muggy temperatures of Baton Rouge will help prepare the team for the conference championships.
“We try to run most of the people in some of the events they will be racing in the SECs,” Waters said. “This will be a fantastic competition. There will be some very stiff competition, and we will be very much tested this weekend.”
Ives, who is No. 10 in the nation, said the upcoming meet will be fun and competitive. Ives, along with most of her team, has competed against both LSU and Texas A&M before.
“I’ve competed against these girls indoor in other meets, so it will be another meet where I can go in and do what I need to do,” Ives said. “If I come out on top, that will be great, and if not, I’ve got the SECs.”
LSU and Texas A&M may be the top dogs in the country, but Waters is confident that the competition will be evenly matched. Waters said the men’s 4×100’s and the high jumpers will be the most challenging.
Alabama will also face other conference and non-conference schools over the weekend.
As of now, the Tide is still improving and trying to master each technique before the SECs. The LSU meet should set the stage for the conference championships as well as regionals and the NCAAs. Alabama will have one more meet before going into the post season.
