LEVELLAND—The South Plains College track and field teams will take a short trip to Lubbock on Saturday, May 6 to compete in their final meet before nationals at the 2017 Masked Rider Open at the Terry & Linda Fuller Track and Field Complex beginning with the field events at 11 a.m.

The Texans and Lady Texans will enter Saturday each ranked inside the top three in the latest USTFCCCA national track and field polls. The Texans come into the meet ranked second in the country and have compiled 41 national qualifying marks to date. Sitting as the 10-time defending national champions, it comes as no surprise that head coach Erik Vance and company have just a single goal in mind as the season enters the month of May.

"We came off the indoor season with second and third finishes, and while we were very happy with it, we weren't satisfied," Vance said. "We really want to go win those things. We actually had a recruit in the office the other day, and we were talking, and it kind of makes you laugh and realize how blessed you are to be at South Plains College.

"I referred to the women's team as being a little bit down, and realized that down meant finishing in the top five at every championship and the top three a couple times. Everywhere else, that's not a down year that's a good one, and here we're looking to reload and do those things."

With 40 national qualifying marks on tap, the Lady Texans have proven worthy of their No. 3 national ranking and will look to add to that number come Saturday. A young team with a veteran mindset that expects to compete with the countries' best, assistant coach Frank Barker believes the Lady Texans will have an opportunity to show their championship pedigree and compete for a national crown.

"Our kids traditionally in the big meets come up and have big performances," Barker said. "The excitement that these kids are showing the closer we get to nationals is unbelievable. They aren't just sitting there like this is my job and I'm just going to get it done, they are excited to compete and are wanting to do their best.

"They want to be better, they're motivated and they want to go win. That excitement carries into the coaches and the people that are around them all the time, and you get pumped. It's going to be great."

Below is a complete list of events South Plains will be competing in this weekend. Fans are encouraged to come out to Tech's first-class facility and watch the top junior college program compete against a field of Div. I athletes in what should make for an exciting day of competition.

Schedule of events: http://www.texastech.com/documents/2017/2/17//2017_Masked_Rider_Open.pdf

Omotayo Aboiaji – Women' 100 meters, women's 4x100

Agnes Abrocquah – Women's 400 meters, women's 4x400

Kiona Bradshaw – Women's Shot Put, women's Discus

Safia Bright – Women's 200 meters, women's 4x100

Seselia Dala – Women's 800 meters

Poro Gahekave – Women's 800 meters

Cha'Kaylin Gilbert – Women's long jump and triple jump

Joi Gill – Women's 100 and 200 meters

Taylor Hill – Women's 100 meters, women's 4x100

Ashley Hughes – Women's 400 and 800 meters

Naomi Kerari – Women's high jump

Melody Korie – Women's long and triple jump

Hellen Maasotuo – Women's 800 meters

Natassha McDonald – Women's 400 meters, women's 4x400

Caitlyn Gilbert – Women's 10000 meters

Bosiboro Mosongo – Women's 200 meters, women's 100 meter hurdles, women's high jump

Jannia Price – Women's discus and javelin

Mauricia Prieto – Women's 100 meters, women's 4x100 and 4x400

Leslie Romero – Women's 3000 meter steeplechase

Kadrienne Sanders – Women's 200 and 400 meters

Latriceia Smith – Women's 4x400

Candace Thomas – Women's javelin

Shirley Vanatup – Women's 400 meters

Jordan Atkinson – Men's 200 and 400 meters, men's 4x400 and 4x100

Saahir Bethea – Men's long and triple jump

Junior Charles – Men's 400 meters, men's 4x400 and 4x100

DeVaughn Coleman – Men's high jump

Robert Downs Jr. – Men's 800 meters

Robert Dunning – Men's 110 and 400 meter hurdles

Dekaryea Freeman – Men's 800 meters

Zach Hancock – Men's javelin

Mclendon Hill – Men's shot put and discus

Rayan Holmes – Men's 200 meters, men's 4x100

Montel Hood – Men's 400 meters and 4x400

Connor Hughes – Men's 3000 meter steeplechase

Roje Jackson-Chin – Men's 110 meter hurdles

Patrick Johnson – Men's 100 meters and 110 meter hurdles

Felix Kosgei – Men's 10000 meters

Deric Martinez – Men's 1500 meters

Kwaume McGee – Men's high jump

Leobardo Michel – Men's 5000 meters

Derrick Monroe – Men's long and triple jump

Laquan Nairn – Men's long and triple jump

Cordell Richardson – Men's 400 meter hurdles

Collin Rodriguez – Men's pole vault

Omero Rodriguez – Men's 800 and 1500 meters

Nicholas Rotich – Men's 800 and 1500 meters

Myles Scott – Men's 400 meter hurdles

Jose Silva – Men's 10000 meters

William Watson – Men's 200 meters and 110 meter hurdles

Adrian Williams – Men's javelin

Okeen Williams – Men's 4x400 and 4x100

Jonathan Witt – Men's 110 meter hurdles, men's pole vault