Track teams head to NJCAA Indoor meet

by Caroline Basile, sports editor

The South Plains College Texans and Lady Texans track squads will be competing at the National Junior College Athletic Association Indoor Track and Field Championships on March 2-3 at the Texas Tech Athletic Training Center in Lubbock.

The teams will compete in events such as javelin, shot put, 60-meter hurdles, and 200-meter dash, among others.

SPC’s team features 38 athletes who qualified to compete in 35 events at the meet. The team had 60 qualifying marks. Among these athletes, seven members are ranked No. 1 by the NJCAA in their events.

“We’re pretty excited about this,” head track coach Chris Beene said. “We’re going to be taking on two pretty competitive teams.”

The Texans will be facing off against Rend Lake (Ill.) College, and the Lady Texans will be fending off Essex (NJ) College for the title.

Beene added that the teams both look strong and hope to finish high.

“Our men’s team is very strong, and the numbers there are very good,” Beene said. “Our women’s team is a smaller team, but we have very good quality in the women’s program.”

Hopes of a high finish for both teams linger as the competition nears.

“I think both programs will have a chance to be in the top three if we have a very good meet,” Beene added. “We may have a chance to win it all if we have a really great meet. I think everyone will be prepared and ready to go by next week.”