The second SPIRE Division I Indoor Track & Field Invitational will take place today and tomorrow at the SPIRE Academy in Geneva, Ohio. Competing teams will include Auburn, East Carolina, Florida State, George Mason, Georgetown, Indiana, Michigan State, Syracuse, Guelph, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech, Wichita State, Western Kentucky, the men from Texas (M) and the women of Ohio State.

The most anticipated event of the meet is the men’s 200 meters. Florida State’s Maurice Mitchell, the defending NCAA outdoor champion at 200 meters, will make his seasonal debut at SPIRE. Offering up competition will be teammate Horatio Williams, who was third at the ’11 NCAA outdoor 200 while competing for LSU; Harry Adams of Auburn, the seasonal leader in the 60 meters; Keith Ricks of Virginia Tech, the 2009 USATF Junior Championships runner-up in this event; and Keenan Brock of Auburn, a 2011 NCAA Championships qualifier in the 100 meters. The best time ever run indoors in Ohio, 20.64 by Eastern Michigan’s Clement Chukwu in 1998, could be surpassed.

The men’s 60 meters will see Williams go up against teammate Kemar Hyman, currently #2 on the collegiate list.

The featured field event will be the men’s triple jump. 2008 Olympian Aarik Wilson is entered, and his best mark this season (16.50m / 54’ 1¾”) is superior to the Ohio all-comers record of 16.28m set by Charles Simpkins way back in 1984. He’s no shoo-in to win, though, as Virginia Tech’s Hashim Halim and Florida State’s Phillip Young are entered. Halim was fourth at last year’s NCAA outdoor championships, where he set his PR of 16.25m (53’ 3¾”), and the rapidly-improving Young is currently eighth on the collegiate list (15.87m).

Possibly the strongest women’s event will be the pole vault. Top competitors include Virginia Tech’s Victoria von Eynatten, along with two top Indiana pole vaulters in Kelsie Ahbe and Vera Neuenswander. Von Eynatten, from Germany, is the 2010 World Junior Championships silver medalist. Ahbe took 6th at last year’s NCAA Outdoor Championships, where Neuenswander (now out of collegiate eligibility and competing unattached) also took 4th.

Another strong field event is the men’s shot put, which matches up Auburn’s Stephen Saenz and Buffalo’s Robert Golabek, both finalists at last year’s NCAA Indoor Championships.

Other events with one or more outstanding entries...

Women’s 800 meters: Jillian Smith and Rebecca Addison, Michigan (2nd and 8th at 2011 NCAA Indoor Championships)

Women’s Mile: Hannah Brooks, Florida State (2011 NCAA Outdoor Championships qualifier), Ashley Verplank (2011 NCAA Indoor Championships qualifier)

Women’s 3000 meters: Amanda Winslow, Florida State (5th in mile at 2011 NCAA Indoor Championships), Kendra Schaaf (runner-up in 5k at 2010 NCAA Outdoor Championships)

Men’s High Jump: Ronnie Black, Virginia Tech (7th at 2011 NCAA Outdoor Championships), DJ Smith, Auburn (2011 NCAA Outdoor Championships qualifier)

Women’s High Jump: Tynita Butts, East Carolina (4th at 2011 NCAA Indoor Championships), Rebecca Buchholtz, Michigan State (2010 NCAA Outdoor Championships qualifier)

Women’s Long Jump: Amy Harris, Florida State (2011 NCAA Outdoor Championships qualifier)

Women’s Triple Jump: Michelle Jenije, Florida State (2011 NCAA Outdoor Championships qualifier), Tori Franklin, Michigan State (currently 6th on NCAA D-I list)

Women’s Shot Put: Becky O’Brien, Buffalo (2011 NCAA Outdoor Championships qualifier)