Marshall University’s track and field team is competing in the C-USA Indoor Championship Tuesday and Wednesday in Birmingham, Alabama.

Head coach Jeff Small said with 14 schools competing, the Herd is a part of a tough conference.

“Well we’re just hoping to go there and get season best performances in our events and, hopefully some more school records and score some points and kind of really see how it all lays, see how it all comes out,” Small said.

Small said UTEP is competition for the Herd as it has won 19 NCAA Championships in track and field.

Herd team members competed in the Buckeye Tuneup Friday and earned two top-five finishes.

At the Marshall Invitational, the Herd finished in first place by 55 points.

Senior sprinter and jumper Loren Dyer placed second in the 400-meter dash and in the triple jump at the invitational.

“I think it’s a big confidence booster for everyone going into conference,” Dyer said. “Everyone feels confident and pretty much like we can do this.”

Junior sprinter Shanice Johnson said she hopes to break the school record in the 400-meter dash and place at conference by having a different perspective on the race.

“I went into it differently, saying that I’m going to sprint out the first 300 and give it my all, at the end and that’s exactly what I did,” Johnson said. “I’m going to try to do the same thing at conference.”

Small said the Chris Cline Athletic Complex has been helpful in preparing the team for conference especially considering last week’s winter storm.

“You can’t imagine this past week without this place for us,” Small said. “That’s what we dealt with for 10 years, so it’s been awesome.”

Johnson said she hopes her practice pays off in her performance at the meet.

“Marshall’s going to show up and show out,” Johnson said. “We’re underdogs but we’re going to represent well.”

After the indoor championship, members of the Herd track and field team could advance to the NCAA Indoor Nationals March 13-14 in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Outdoor season for the track and field team begins March 20 at the University of South Florida Bulls Invitational.

Kasey Madden can be contacted at [email protected].