“We are prepared mentally and physically,” he said. “We just need to get to a rodeo and get in the groove.”
The men’s team currently sits in the third place in the Southwest Conference with 615 points.
West Texas A&M leads the conference with 833.13 points, followed by Tarleton St. with 765.
The women’s team is in a two-school race for the top spot in conference with Tarleton St.
TSU has earned 492.50 points, while WTC has garnered 450.
Sam Spreadborough, who has won the event in the conference the past two years, is in second in saddle bronc riding, and Guy Simonton is in fifth.
Cody Horwedel and James Irish also are in the top 12 in conference.
Clay Bunney sits just 10 points off the lead in bareback riding, and Jake Marshall is in the top 10 of that event.
Tate Stratton is in third place in bull riding, and Rhodes said both Lance Nixon and Jared Farely are doing well in the event.
Clay Long is fourth in tie-down roping, Bruno Paoiella is fifth in steer wrestling and team roping heeler, and Tyler Riggan is in the same position as team roping header.
For the women’s team, Sabrina Long is well ahead of the field in barrel racing, leading the next closest competitor by 115 points.
Julie Jones sits in fifth in goat-tying.
Rhodes said the team is ready to get started, with each competitor primed for a strong showing.
“I don’t think we’ll hurt ourselves,” he said. “We just have to keep focusing on what we do, and see if we’ll have our rodeo.”