For the last decade, the Red Raiders have been right in the center of the action in the Big 12 Indoor Championships, and this year will be no different. This should be a great weekend for the Texas Tech Men’s and Women’s Track and Field teams in Ames, Iowa.

This certainly looks like a knock-down, drag-out fight for the championship between Texas Tech and Texas. Losing Terrence Jones a few weeks back was a blow to Tech, but the sprints are the strength for the team, and there are several sprinters capable to stepping up to fill the gap.

It will be particularly interesting to see how Tech uses Moad Zahafi, who is ranked No. 1 in the 800 and 1000 and No. 2 in the 600-yard. Zahafi won’t run them all, as that would be three prelims and three finals, but he can run in two of them and would have a realistic shot at winning both events.

Tech is still very strong in the sprints with Courtney Lindsey (No. 1 in the 200, No. 7 in the 60), Jacolby Shelton (No. 2 in the 60, No. 3 in the 200), Daniel Omah (No. 4 in the 60, No. 12 in the 200), and Ashton O’Connor (No. 6 in the 200, No. 14 in the 60) all looking to make their impact felt.

Adam Clayton has improved so much that he can’t be overlooked as well (No. 8 in the 200, No. 14 in the 60).

This should also be a strength for Texas Tech, and they’ll led by the mid-term addition to the team, Moad Zahafi.

Ryan Champlin is ranked No. 7 in the 600-yard, and he is also the only contender in the 400 (No. 11).

Sven Cepus (No. 6 in the 800, No. 8 in the 600) is the defending champ in the 600-yard. Marco Vilca (No. 5 in the 800, No. 10 in the 600 and 1000) was an indoor All-American in the 800 last year.

Owen Likins (No. 12 in the 1000, No. 13 in the 800) placed in both the mile and the 1000 at last year’s conference meet.

A wild card could be Oskar Edlund. The freshman from Sweden is a 400-meter hurdles outdoor specialist. Edlund has run indoors only once this season, and he is ranked No. 5 in the 600-yard after running that particular race only once.

These races have been tough for the Red Raiders. EJ Rush is ranked No. 16 in the mile, and Owen Likins has not run in the race this year.

There could be a chance for points in the distance medley relay, which is currently ranked No. 4 in the Big 12 Conference. You could put together a solid relay team consisting of Rush, Likins, Sherrill, and Champlin that would compete with most teams in the conference.

Vashaun Vascianna, the freshman from Jamaica, has ran the 60-meter hurdles one time all season, and he leads the Big 12 based on that one race.

Maliek Kendall (No. 5), Taylor Rooney (No. 6), Kyle Lind (No. 7), and Robert Teer (No. 9) could give Tech a chance for big points in this event.

Tech needs the 4x4 relay to live up to expectations this weekend. They are currently ranked a distant eighth in the Big 12, but they have only run the relay twice this year.

Outside of Ryan Champlin, the other three spots are up for grabs. We could see transfer All-American Malik Metivier or the Swedish midterm addition Oskar Edlund. Half-mile runners, Sven Cepus and Marco Vilca, could also fill out the remaining spots.

This team has the potential to be top three in the conference, and that would be huge boost to the Red Raider’s championship aspirations.

The Red Raiders feature a plethora of talent in the jumps. Jalen Seals (No. 2 in the long jump, No. 6 in the triple jump), transfer Chris Welch (No. 3 in the triple jump, No. 10 in the long jump), Jequan Hogan (No. 3 in the high jump, No. 8 in the triple jump), Caleb Wilborn (No. 6 in the high jump) and Jack Scarbrough (No. 8 in the high jump).

The Red Raiders are so loaded in this event that freshman Luca Meinke (No. 10 in the high jump) may not get to jump.

Colton Naffziger (No. 3) and Logan Fraley (No. 7) both look like they will vault this weekend.

Kyle Stifflemire is ranked No. 6, but he vaulted that height at the first meet of the year and has not equaled it in the last five weeks.

Gary Haasbroek is ranked No. 2 in the heptathlon and should have a great battle with Leo Neugebauer from Texas. Haasbroek is vaulting well this year in the (ranked No. 5 currently) and will compete in the open pole vault.

Kale Mauritsen should compete in the heptathlon as well, even though he doesn't have a multi under his belt this year.

Texas Tech and Texas will battle for the top position on the men's leaderboard and should score in the 150-to-160-point range. If one team can manage to get to 165 points or more, then that should be enough to win the meet.

Iowa State, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, and Baylor are in the next tier and should score in the 60-to-75-point range. Kansas State, TCU, and Kansas are on the bottom end and should score in the 35-to-45-point range.

The Texas women’s team should be able to separate themselves from the rest of the field in this meet. The Red Raiders will be in the thick of things for the runner-up spot and will be in a battle with Oklahoma State, and their strong distance corps.

Since Texas Tech may not score a point in the distance races, it will be crucial for the Red Raiders to accumulate most of their points in the jumps and hurdles to counter OSU’s distance points.

Adding Rosemary Chuckwuma, a midterm addition, was huge for the Red Raiders. Chuckwuma is ranked No. 2 in the 60-meter and No. 9 in the 200-meter.

Redshirt freshman Kiah Dubarry-Gay (No. 8 in the 200, No. 9 in the 60) is developing steadily as a nationally competitive sprinter.

Grad transfers Knowledge Omovoh (No. 5 in the 400) and Aneesa Scott (No. 13 in the 200) give the Red Raiders added depth in the 400-meter.

If Texas Tech can get some points from sprinter/jumper Virginia Kerley (No. 9 in the 60, No. 13 in the long jump) and redshirt freshman Nayanna Dubarry-Gay (No. 18 in the 400), then those points could be the difference that allows Texas Tech to pull ahead of Oklahoma State.

The 4x4 relay should be solid as well. They’re currently ranked No. 4 and could find themselves with a top three finish.

Lexye Price (No. 4 in the 600-yard) and Sylvia Schulz (No. 8 in the 600) are both solid in the 400-meter hurdles and run the 600 indoors. They’ve exceled in the indoor events this season.

Transfer Michaela Lewis (No. 6 in the 600, No. 13 in the 800) is looking to make some noise in this meet and may run the 1000 as well.

It will be tough for the Red Raiders to get a point in the mile, 3K, 5K, or even the distance medley relay. There’s a chance Texas Tech puts together a distance medley relay team to grab a point or two, but they’re limited as to how many athletes they can bring to the meet.

The Red Raiders could use a roster spot or two to fill the 1200-meter or 1600-meter leg, or they could bring in another jumper of thrower capable of scoring a couple points. If the roster count gives leeway, then you could see the women compete in the distance medley relay.

Demisha Roswell (No. 2) owns the Texas Tech school record in this event.

Simone Watkins (No. 8) is running with a lot of confidence, and she can also run a strong leg in the 4x4 relay.

One question for Tech in the hurdles is if Gabrielle McDonald, the 2020 conference champ in this event, can come back from injury and move up on the podium.

The jumps are the strength of the Red Raider women’s team. Sidney Sapp (No. 1 in the high jump), Monae Nichols (No. 1 in the long jump), Ruth Usoro (No. 2 in the long jump, No. 3 in the triple jump), Ruta Lasmane (No. 2 in the triple jump), and Onaara Obamawagun (No. 6 in the triple jump) are all capable of winning their events.

True freshmen Bryan Brewer (No. 9 in the triple jump) and Alexis Ivy (No. 11 in the high jump) could score points as well.

Veteran Chloe Wall (No. 2) set a personal record last week and is vaulting very consistently.

Ryleigh Redding (No. 7) will join Wall at the conference meet. If a third vaulter competes in the indoor championships, it will likely be Sarah Tackitt (No. 13).

Another area of strength for Texas Tech with Seasons Usual (No. 1 in the weight throw), Kayli Johnson (No. 3 in the shot put, No. 5 in the weight throw), transfer Malin Smith (No. 6 shot put, No. 16 in the weight throw), and Field Gatlin (No. 11 in the shot put, No. 14 in the weight throw) all set to be a factor in this meet.

Malin Smith, who transferred to Texas Tech from Cincinnati, has improved all season and needs to perform well.

Transfer Aria Tate (No. 6) sat out last year with an injury but looks to be a contributor this year.

Callie Jones (No. 8) made it to nationals last year in the outdoor heptathlon and can finish much higher than her current placing.

Texas is the only team capable of scoring 200 points or more in this meet. Oklahoma State and Texas Tech should battle it out for the No. 2 spot and are capable of scoring in the 110-to-125-point range. These are the only three schools capable of scoring over 100 points.

The next tier includes Baylor, Oklahoma, and Iowa State scoring in the 55-to-65-point range, and Kansas State and Kansas are both looking like they will score 40-to-50 points.

West Virginia should score only around 20-to-25 points, and they’re pretty much exclusive to the long-distance races. TCU will fall in the 5-to-10-point range if they’re able to score at all.