FAIRFAX, Va. – Last year, after all the events finished and all the points were tallied, George Mason track and field coach Andrew Gerard broke the news to the men's team – they were the “best losers” in Atlantic 10 Conference history.

The 199 points scored by the Patriots at last year's A-10 Indoor Championships were the most by a second-place finisher in league history. Just four points separated them from champion Rhode Island.

Thus, little motivation will be needed to fire up the men's team as they try to reverse their fortunes when they head back to Kingston, R.I., for the A-10 Indoor Championships, which will run Saturday and Sunday for both the men and women.

“We remember that,” Gerard said. “We kept firing a way, and we had a great meet. We had an excellent meet. We scored more points than I thought we would score. …. Our guys remember (last year). Hopefully, we got a taste of (winning) outdoors last year, but we remember what happened in indoors and we can build on that.”

Gerard expects to see Rhode Island and Mason once again battling for the men's conference championship.  

Since Mason joined the A-10 during the 2013-14 school year, the teams have finished 1-2 at the last two indoor and outdoor championships (four total). The Patriots edged out URI last spring for the A-10 outdoor title as part of a Mason sweep as the women also captured the crown.

The Patriots head into the meet after a strong start to the indoor season. They are currently ranked 15th in the USTFCCCA Southeast Region rankings. They've captured two invitational titles this year, including winning the Scarlet and White Invitational at Boston University their last time out two weeks ago.

“I think it will be a dog fight,” Gerard said. “(Rhode Island is) a very scrappy team. Their kids step up well, get excited. But we're going in healthy and ready to go. Hopefully it will work in our favor this time. The two of us have the most well-rounded teams and the heaviest hitters with some other folks sprinkled in. I would be surprised if somebody else came in for one of those top two spots when it is all said and done. If we take care of what we should we will be in one of those top two spots.”

The women's team also finished second last year (to VCU) in indoors before winning the outdoor crown. But the Patriots graduated a chunk of their big scorers from last year and will have to “scrap for every point,” Gerard said, putting emphasis on reaching the finals of events.

Several 2015 A-10 indoor champs will be back in action for both Mason's men's and women's teams. On the women's side, Caela Williams returns after helping the Patriots win the 4x400-meter relay. For the men, John Seals (high jump) and Xavier King (400 meters) both captured conference championships as freshmen.  King, Bernard Freeman, Da'Quan Smalls and Angel Coburn are all back after winning the 4x400. Freeman also won the 200-meter dash (with Smalls right behind in second). Jimi Tele won the triple jump, just in front of teammate Raeshawn Bishop.