Head coach Mario Sategna didn’t have the number four on his mind this week. But it’s a number that bears much significance as Texas heads to the Big 12 Indoor Championships in Ames, Iowa, this weekend.

Texas hopes to win its fourth-straight women’s conference title. The Longhorns have won the last four women’s pole vault titles and will rely on their four top 10-ranked pole vaulters to continue that streak. Senior sprinter Aldrich Bailey Jr. vies for a fourth-straight victory in the men’s 400-meter race for the burnt orange.

But senior sprinter Chrisann Gordon is only focused on being number one this weekend. She attempts to be the 10th Longhorn to win the women’s 400-meter relay in the 21-year Big 12 era. 

“I think we are really ready,” Gordon said. “We’ve been putting in a lot of work over the week, and this week we have to show up with what we have been doing over the last few months.” 

During her final season with the Longhorns, Gordon hopes to truly lead by example both on and off the field.

“I have to set an example for my other teammates for them to follow,” Gordon said. 

Although the leadership and experience of veterans Gordon and senior Olympian sprinter Byron Robinson add to the equation of success, Sategna primarily values the chemistry of his squad as a whole.

“The great thing for conference (is that) you’re allowed 26 men and 26 women for the indoor championship,” Sategna said. “And it’s never been really about one person or even one group.” 

The No. 8 women and No. 14 men look to affirm their places in Big 12 history as they charge up for their big weekend.

The women aim to add to their total of eight indoor Big 12 titles, while the men compete for their eighth win and look to bounce back from a 1.5-point loss — the second-closest margin of victory in Big 12 history — during last year’s championship.

“Track is really all momentum,” Robinson said. “All it takes is one good race to get you in the swing and one bad to take you out.”