Alabama Track and Field Teams Looking to Shine as SEC Outdoor Championships Host

The University of Alabama track and field team will host the Southeastern Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships this weekend at theSam Bailey Track & Field Complex. Action is slated to begin Thursday, May 12, and run through Saturday, May 14, and will feature all 14 men's teams and 13 women's teams in the conference.

Alabama will field a squad of 52 athletes (28 women, 24 men) in the championship and has entered competitors in 31 individual events. The Tide will also have four relays, including the men's and women's 4x100-meter relay and 4x400-meter relay.

"The SEC Championships are always a key event for us but this year is even more important with the meet being here in Tuscaloosa. We have a lot of momentum coming out of our last two meets at Auburn and LSU and I feel like we are peaking at the right time. This is always a tough meet, but great competition tends to bring out fantastic performances. Competing at home gives us a little more motiviation so I expect this to be a good weekend."

In their final tune-up before the 2016 SEC Outdoor Track & Field Championships, the Alabama men's and women's track & field teams finished second and third respectively and won six individual events at the LSU Invitational on April 30 in Baton Rouge, La.

The Crimson Tide men tallied 154 team points to finish second behind Texas A&M (171). LSU was third (134) and Arkansas fourth (97.5). On the women's side, the Tide rolled up 118.5 points to finish third behind Kentucky (125) and LSU (119). Texas A&M was fourth (115.5).

Event winners included Justin Fondren in the men's high jump at 6-11 ½ (2.12 meters); Joe Williams in the men's discus at 189-11 (57.88m), Elias Hakannson in the men's hammer at 222-7 (67.84m), Callie Coggins in the women's steeplechase at 11:30.67 and Quanesha Burks in the women's long jump at 22-2 ¼ (6.76m). Senior Ahmed Ali was the top collegiate finisher in the men's 200 meters with a time of 20.76.