Episcopal Academy Boys Track & Field team chasing big dreams on the national stage

NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- The Episcopal Academy's Boys Track & Field team has its sights set on something big and the team also feels like it has some unfinished business to attend to.

The rise to the national stage for the team started with learning through the challenges of past years, from Zoom practices during the COVID-19 pandemic, to falling just short of a state championship last season.

"The seniors in Dak and I, along with the coaches, really brought in to build this program up," said Senior, Aiden McHugh.

"I see guys outside working hard every day...their distance, their sprints, their throws, everybody. So and that really picks everyone up," said Junior, A.J. Koukou.

The first hurdle was winning the team's first ever state championship last month, and the next is to see how they compete against the best in the nation this weekend.

"We knew we had something special and then it just culminated this year," said Coach Jim Farrell.

The pursuit of a national title begins in the Big Apple at the Nike Indoor Nationals on Friday, March 10th in New York City before sending a group to Boston on Saturday, March 11th to compete at the New Balance Indoor Nationals.

"We just kept setting the bar higher and higher each meet and I think we've trusted in each other and our training that we can just keep going these amazing things and it's really paid off for us in the long run," said Senior, Dakin Ebmeyer.

Ahead of the Indoor Nationals this weekend, Nike also selected the Churchmen to be one of two teams featured on a billboard in Times Square to promote the event. It's the icing on the cake for this record-breaking season.

"I don't know how long its going to be up for, but whether it's 30 seconds or 30 years, we're going to enjoy every second of it," said Coach Zach Richards.

The team says their goal this weekend is to set personal best times, break more records, and of course win a national championship.