When the Missouri Southern men’s indoor track and field team begins its competition on Friday and Saturday at the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center in the MIAA championship meet, it will be looking to win the second leg of the “conference triple crown.”

Tom Rutledge, head coach, defines the triple crown as being the cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field conference titles all in one school year.

It’s a goal the team is working hard for and has never achieved before in conference history.

“The other seniors and I are going to lay it all out, and do whatever it takes to win it,” said Brian Lyons, senior distance runner.

The Lions competed in

the University of Oklahoma Invitational Feb. 21, and several of the members surpassed their previous best performances of the season.

“It was a good meet for us,” Rutledge said. “We ironed out some things with some of our younger people.”

The Lions know winning the meet will be far from easy, but are also confident they have what it takes to obtain the second piece of the triple crown.

“It’s going to be very competitive,” Lyons said. “We have a pretty good chance to win it. We have a lot of things that we haven’t had in the past. It’s going to really put us to the test, but it’s going to be nice to sleep in our own beds and run on our own track.”

Many of the Lions have been injured throughout the season including Thomas Quaid, senior middle distance runner, who was injured in the cross country season but is planning on competing in the conference meet.

This will be the last indoor meet for the seniors, and it is one they want to win for more than sentimental reasons.

“It’s very important to me,” Lyons said. “This is just one more hump that we have to get over as a team in order to win the triple crown. It’s never

been done at our school, and it would be very nice.”

Along with a potential conference title, the Lions are also looking to improve upon provisional marks. The men have several players ranked among the best in the nation. If there are any concerns with the team, it would be youth.

“The sprinters are getting there,” Rutledge said. “As a coach, you wish that they were there, but you have to understand that most of them are freshmen and sophomores. You can only bring them along so fast.”

Rutledge said his concern is if the young sprinters will be able to come together.

“If anybody catches us, that’s where they are going to get us,” he said, “and we know that, so we know our weaknesses.”

Having the meet at home this year is something the Lions are looking forward to.

“Everybody is going to have to focus in order to win,” Lyons said. “If we get points where we need them, especially from the sprinters, then we can be carried by the distance guys, the throwers and the poll vaulters.”