The Georgia Southern University track and field team will be competing in the Southern Conference indoor championships on Thursday and Friday.

The team will be at the Birmingham Crossplex and the event will be hosted by the University of Samford. The Eagles have competed here twice this season which should at least give them the advantage of familiarity.

“I don’t think it will help nor hurt, we expect to have good performances no matter where we’re at,” first-year coach Marlo Mincey said.

Coach Marlo Mincey feels her team is ready and stresses that the championships will be approached like a normal meet. She doesn’t want a person to make mistakes that they normally wouldn’t make because they tried to do something that isn’t normal.This will be the first SoCon championships for the top ranked shot put freshman Sara Hall and freshman hurdler Taylor Wade.

“I’m nervous but excited to see the competition,” said Wade. She’ll be competing in the 60-meter hurdles and the 400-meter dash.

Wade received “Athlete of the Week” early in Feb. and she has high expectations for this week. A good performance will give her a great chance to achieve her goal of getting the “Freshman of the Year” award.While this year’s SoCon championships marks the beginning of some athletic careers here on campus, it’d be unfair not to mention how it also marks the end of some collegiate careers.

Senior Millicent Brooks-Millender will be competing in the long jump and the triple jump. She will be competing against strong competition from Samford in these events and she said they have a lot of girls with good technique.Brooks-Millender feels bittersweet with it being her last indoor SoCon Championship. She plans on going out with a bang. In doing that she plans to make top-3 in both of her events.After leaving Brooks-Millender feels the team will still be strong and she has a lot of faith that sophomore Stephanie Hicks and junior Jasmine Billings will continue to do well in the jumping events for our school.Senior Azura Robillard will be running the 800-meter run and she also feels bittersweet about it being her last SoCon.

“I’m sad I can’t compete any longer but not sad because I’m growing up and starting real life,” Robillard said. After she finishes here at GSU, she’ll be going to physical therapy school.

Going into this week, Robillard has a good mental mindset. She’s determined to “take the track down” and remain confident. Her goal for the meet will be to get lower than a 2:20 minute time.

“I’m really going to miss my teammates, I love them so much,” Robillard said.

Most players on the team will be coming back next year but Billings, Hicks, and the 4x400-meter relay team are all expected to do well like they’ve done all season.While the team will be competing against the conference this week to determine the best track and field team for the indoor season, the outdoor track and field season is set to begin on Mar. 9.