The Alabama men’s indoor track team celebrated its 2018 SEC Championship on Friday at the Sarah Patterson Champions Plaza.
The celebration started with the team unveiling the 2018 carved into the stone, followed by athletic director Greg Byrne, whose message was an efficient 3:12. His main message was the success on the field and in the classroom since 2008.
“We’ve 27 national-team titles since 2009,” Byrne said. “We’ve won 104 Southeastern Conference titles as a department, including 24 since 2008.”
The Crimson Tide won the championship by defeating powerhouse Arkansas by just three points. It was the first conference championship since 1972.
Alabama finished in the top-three in five events on the last day of competition to win. The biggest contribution came on the 5,000-meter run. The Crimson Tide placed four in the top-six to score 21 points in the event.
Now, Alabama is trying to transition last year’s success to this season. So far, it is the No. 6 in the country in cross country. It also brought back most of its talent from last year.
“Last year we had a bunch of juniors, who are now seniors, and they got a little taste to win and be successful,” coach Dan Waters said. “Our focus is better than it’s ever been. I think they also want to prove that it wasn’t just a one-time shot, it was something we can do year in and year out.”
The Crimson Tide fell just short last year in the outdoor season, as it finished fifth in the country with 33 points in the NCAA meet.
“We felt like we left a little bit left on the table,” Waters said. “We are motivated to get those second championships and finish higher in the NCAA meet.
