Track and field set for home test

As the track and field season gets into full swing, Texas A&M holds the Mondo Challenge on Friday and Saturday at the Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium. Texas A&M will compete against Texas Tech, Oregon, Arizona State, Tennessee and Florida.

University of Florida head coach Mike Holloway said the variety of competition is good for everyone.

"In terms of the competition this weekend, it's always a good meet for us," Holloway said. "This weekend you have the Big 12, the Pac 12 and the SEC, so it's going to be a great meet," Holloway said.

On the men's side, Texas A&M is currently ranked No. 9 in the nation; the competition is wide open with Florida ranked No. 2, Oregon at No. 19, Texas Tech at No. 30, Arizona State at No. 36 and Tennessee at No. 90.

The women's competition stiffens with Oregon coming in as No. 1, Texas Tech at No. 8, Tennessee at No. 17, Arizona State at No. 21, and Florida at No. 43. Texas A&M ranks No. 11.

Texas A&M head coach Pat Henry said competitions like this throughout the year are the reason that Texas A&M will be ready to compete in the SEC next year and still succeed.

"From the day I got here, we have always scheduled and competed against SEC schools," Henry said. "You learn how to compete, you learn how to step it up. We've never shied from the SEC."

Although Texas A&M has won the outdoor national championship the past three years, they have not claimed a national championship for the indoor season. The men's and women's indoor teams have finished in the Top-10 of the indoor championships in the past four years, but both are still looking for their first national indoor title.

Katelyn Arrington, sophomore biology major, said the success in the indoor and outdoor seasons increased student awareness about the track and field teams.

"I feel that track at Texas A&M has greatly spiked the interest of the student body," Arrington said. "Winning national championships is not something that happens regularly, and our track and field teams have made it a tradition. Many students have an extreme curiosity of what makes us so great and go to see what the hype is about."

Texas A&M looks to continue to improve their rankings at the Mondo Challenge as the women have already climbed six spots from the beginning of the season and the men have moved up three spots.