Notebook: WKU ready to compete in Sun Belt Indoor Championships

Chela Counts

WKU track and field has high hopes of seeing another championship title come to fruition.

This weekend the Toppers and Lady Toppers will travel to Murfreesboro, Tenn., to compete in the Sun Belt Conference Indoor Championships.

The Lady Toppers were picked in a fourth-place tie by league coaches in a pre-meet poll. Meanwhile the Toppers were picked to win their first indoor title since 2010.

Maikea Davis faces first college conference championship

The Lady Toppers continue to fight hard against defeat, having earned 17 consecutive Sun Belt track titles since 2006—holding the nations longest conference winning streak.

Freshman sprinter Maikea Davis is excited for this weekend’s meet and said she feels no pressure.

“It’s my first college conference meet, so I’m excited and I think I’ll do well,” Davis said. “I don’t feel pressure because I’m use to it.”

Davis will compete in the 400-meter race and 200-meter dash. At Middle Tennessee’s Blue Raider Invitational she placed third in the 400-meter with a time of 59.35. She says she only has one goal in mind for this weekend.

“It’s about getting points for my team, giving it my best, giving my all,” Davis said.

Winston for the Win

Though he suffered an inflammation injury to his left hamstring earlier in the month, sophomore sprinter DeMyco Winston said his expectations for this weekend are to “take conference, take first in the 4×4 and hopefully run a national time so I can go to Nationals.”

WKU’s 4×400-meter relay team last competed in Illinois’ Orange & Blue Open, earning the top win with a time of 3:20.02

Winston says he is feeling great and ready.

“I’m just ready to run,” he said.

Practice makes perfect

Head Coach Erik Jenkins said he doesn’t view his team’s first-place ranking in the pre-meet poll as a sign of guaranteed victory.

“We’ve had good practices, but its practice,” Jenkins said. “You have to be able to put it together at the meet.”

Jenkins says the team is ready to compete and perform like they usually do.

“I think we’ll go in and compete at the highest level, we’re ready to run, jump and throw,” he said. “It’s just a matter or not making mistakes and capitalizing on the opportunities in front of us, we’ll give it our best shot as we usually do.”