MONTGOMERY, Ala. | The 2019 Southwestern Athletic Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships are set for this Thursday and Friday (February 14 – 15) at the Birmingham Crossplex.

The Hornets look to defend their conference championships from a season ago in which both teams claimed the overall championship.

The Lady Hornets are aiming to win their 11th consecutive conference title, an unprecedented feat in the conference, while the men are striving for a third-straight title. All 10 member institutions of the conference will be featured.

An inside look at Alabama State

• The Hornets are ranked first in the SWAC according to the United States Track and Field Coaches' Association and the women are No. 2 behind Prairie View A&M. 
• The men are ranked 18th in the South region, ahead of foes North Florida, Belmont, Lipscomb, Samford and Florida International, among others.
• The Lady Hornets rank 36th in the South, ahead of Belmont, Jacksonville State and Georgia Southern.
• Norris Spike and David East will compete for the medal stand in the 60-meters and have the fifth and sixth best marks in the 60-meters in the SWAC this season. Kevin Spraggins (21.77 seconds) has the fourth best time in the 200-meters.
• Joshua Coffelt will look to medal in the mile, having posted a time of 4:24.36 (No. 2 in the SWAC) at the Rod McCravy Memorial.
• Marcus Cade (high jump- second overall) and Jamie Brown (long jump – first overall) will also be in strong contention for the medal stand.
• Caesar Kemp and Marquis Nelson both have the top conference-marks in the shot put and weight throw, respectively, in 2019.
• Charminiqu Hackney (7.46 seconds) and Nia Jack (7.47) hold the top two spots in the 60-meters among conference competitors and will provide the Lady Hornets with a strong chance of reaching the medal stand.
• Kyana Evans (Gene Edmonds Open) and Ulani Toussaint (Rod McCravy) have posted times of 25.00 seconds this season in the 200-meters, good for fourth in the SWAC.
• Arion Span and Hannah Mezidor provide the Lady Hornets with a strong medal chance in the middle-distance and distance categories, with each posting the second (Span) and third (Mezidor) best times in the 800-meters in the league in 2019. Mezidor has the best time in the mile in the SWAC, posting a time of 5:22.52 at the KMS Invitational. Span holds the top 3000-meters time after turning in a time of 10:59.43 at the Rod McCravy Memorial.
• Bridgett Williams weight throw of 16.20-meters at the Samford Open is the third-best mark in 2019

 
An inside look at the competition

• Jackson State, Prairie View A&M and Texas Southern boasts strong resumes and will prove to be formidable foes for Alabama State.
• The Lady Panthers are considered the top team in the SWAC by the USTFCCCA while the Jackson State men are No. 2.

 
What's Next

• Alabama State student-athletes who qualify will compete at the NCAA Indoor Championships March 8 at the Birmingham Crossplex.

 
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