It wouldn't be indoor track season if we didn't head BACK to Penn State for one of the biggest meets of the year! The Penn State National has proven to be one of the fastest events of the NCAA season. Penn State will welcome top squads from Georgetown, Stanford, Villanova, Mississippi (+ MORE!) on Friday and Saturday and these track fans must take note of these 3 events that will not disappoint.

The Best Part About Indoor Track? THE DISTANCE MEDLEY RELAY! 

The women’s race will feature last year’s runner-up Stanford against last year’s PSU National winners Georgetown. The magic number to qualify for NCAAs is typically around 11:00. Georgetown returns 4:33 miler Katrina Coogan, while Stanford is a bit of a question mark. Saunders and Baker are key pieces to this team, but the injured Elise Cranny and Aisling Cuffe make us wonder if this Cardinal squad can contend for a title in March.

WATCH the Georgetown women run 10:57 FTW at last year's PSU National.

The men’s race should see several NCAA qualifiers if all goes well. Last year’s runner-up team from Penn State will toe the line with Georgetown (fourth in ’15), Villanova (fifth in ’15), Stanford (10th in ’15) and Mississippi. Every single one of the teams as at least one sub-4 miler on board, so get ready for some HOT action Friday night.

WATCH Georgetown take down Penn State at last year's PSU National.

800m Runners Coming to 800U Looking for Fast Times

Stanford’s Claudia Saunders (2:00 outdoor PB) and Olivia Baker (2:04) may be the most well known of the field, but don’t overlook former Tennessee turned UConn Husky Alexis Panisse. Panisse ran 2:03 and was an outdoor All American in 2014 before leaving Knoxville for Connecticut. Throw in Georgetown’s Andrea Keklak and we may have a handful of NCAA top 16 marks after this race.

QUESTION: Will Saunders turn her indoor reputation around in her final season? Her PB is only 2:05 (compared to 2:00 outdoors) and she has never qualified as an individual indoors.

The men's field, though. Do I need to explain? Based on their indoor credentials, check the field:

Dylan Capwell, 1:46.70, ’15 NCAA indoor runner-up
Craig Engels, 1:46.13, ’15 NCAA outdoor qualifier
Brannon Kidder, 1:45.58, ’15 NCAA outdoor runner-up
Ryan Manahan, 1:47.54, ’15 NCAA indoor fifth-place
Clayton Murphy, 1:45.59, ’15 NCAA indoor and outdoor third-place, Pan American Games Champion, World Championship semi-finalist
Joseph White, 1:47.40, ’15 NCAA indoor and outdoor qualifier

QUESTION: How fit is Brannon Kidder?! He’s coming off a blazing mid-race kick and a new NCAA 1000m record.

Jordy Williamsz, Rob Denault Open Up in 3K

Villanova’s Rob Denault and Jordan Williamz will open up the 2016 with the 3K. Denault has gone 8:15 and Williamsz 8:04, both from 2013. The sub-4 milers will have plenty of company pushing them closer to breaking the eight minute barrier. Georgetown’s Jonathan Green is coming off a fifth-place finish at the NCAA XC Championships. He ran his 8:08 PB to finish third in this race last year, now he enters as the favorite.

Stanford fifth-year Collin Leibold ran 4:02 at the UW Preview and was an outdoor 5K qualifier last spring. He’ll be joined by Stanford grad and stylish tee shirt wearing Erik Olson, who boasts a 7:50 PB.

Penn State’s Tessa Barrett (’15 XC All American), Tori Gerlach (2x Big Ten Champion) and Elizabeth Chikotas (’15 NCAA 5K qualifier) have home field advantage, but watch out for William and Mary’s Regan Rome (’15 XC All American), Stanford’s Vanessa Fraser (’15 NCAA 5K qualifier, XC All American), Georgetown’s Samantha Nadel (9:05 PB, fastest in the field) and Villanova’s Angel Piccirillo (4:34 mile PB). Nadel took this race last year in 9:18, but with a field this strong, a sub 9:10 outcome (usually a safe bet for NCAA qualifying) looks pretty good.

QUESTION: How many men will break 8:00? How many women go under 9:10?