EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – For the first time in program history, the SIUE men's and women's track and field teams will compete in the Ohio Valley Conference Indoor Championships this weekend in Charleston, Ill.

Action will begin Friday at 1:30 p.m. and will pick up again Saturday at 9:30 a.m.  All competition will take place inside Eastern Illinois' Lantz Fieldhouse.

 "We're excited about the opportunity to compete," Head Coach Kareem Jackson said.  "This has been a long time coming for our program.  We've waited four years to get to this point."

On the men's side, sophomore Braxton Klavins comes into the meet ranked first in the OVC in the 400 meters.  His time of 47.53 at Grand Valley State Feb. 8 is the conference's time to beat by nearly a second.

The Cougars' 4x400m Relay team also ran an OVC-best time of 3:14.96 at Grand Valley State Feb. 8.  Making up the team are Klavins, Josh Thomas, La'Derrick Ward, and Ahmad Evans.

"Everyone is motivated and ready to go," Jackson said.  "I know our athletes are excited about competing, but we're going to need a solid effort from everybody to be successful."

Leading the way for the women's team will be seniors Aftan Noon, Colleen McDonough, Kaya Senaya, and Michelle Higgins.  Noon currently ranks second in the OVC in the mile (4:53.49), while McDonough is second in the shot put (47-10.5).

Senaya ranks in the OVC's top ten in the 60m (7.71), 200m (25.52), and 400m (57.18).  Higgins comes into weekend ranked second in the triple jump with a leap of 39-3.25.

"We're going to be competitive at this meet," Jackson added.  "We still have to show up and run the races, but I feel confident that our coaching staff has done a good job in getting our athletes prepared."