The moment the track and field teams have been preparing for is finally within reach, but the teams still have a lot of competition ahead.

This weekend, the teams will travel to Lexington, Kentucky, to compete in the SEC Indoor Championships. Coach Dan Waters said both the men’s and the women’s teams prepare all year for the championship portion of the season.

“Our athletes are motivated,” Waters said. “We know what to expect, and I think we are ready.”

Senior sprinter Remona Burchell said the team knows how big the opportunity is this weekend. She said the team is not changing anything about their approach now. She said the right attitude will be critical this week.

“We need to come together and to know what we are here for,” Burchell said. “We have to be prepared and ready to compete.”

The SEC currently has eight men’s teams ranked in the top 25. Seven of those are ranked in the top 13, including 11th-ranked Alabama. The SEC has eight women’s teams ranked in the top 25, and five of the top nine teams belong to the SEC including each of the top three teams.

Cameron Hudson, a junior sprinter, said the strength of the SEC makes the conference championship an even bigger opportunity. A good showing here could give the team additional confidence and momentum heading into nationals which take place early next month.

“[The SEC Championships are] a kind of foretelling for the national meet,” Hudson said. “[Success at the SEC Championship means] maybe you can win nationals because that’s how competitive the SECs are.”

Waters said the most important thing the team can do is execute properly. He said he is confident the team will have success as long as everyone gives this weekend their best effort.

Hudson said success for one person could easily translate into success for everyone. He said as long as everyone gives it their all then they should be successful.

“Everybody competes hard as a team because that momentum will carry us,” he said. “You want to treat every meet like it’s your last.”