Headlined by 12 returning event champions, the 2017 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships are set to kick off today at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, starting with the decathlon at 10:30 a.m. EST. The championships will run through Saturday, May 27.

Heading into the weekend, the Ashland University men and the Pittsburg State women, 2016's team champions, lead the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) rankings. But there's plenty of talent to go around--check out the top can't-miss events and athletes below.

Men's 10,000m

When: ​Thursday, May 25 | 9:35 p.m.​​
Who: Vincent Kiprop (Missouri Southern) ​

En route to winning the 10,000m at the Mt. SAC Relays this year, Kiprop established a new PR of 28:19.94, which obliterated his school record and now ranks as the seventh-best time ever in Division II. The sophomore's PR is 30 seconds faster than the next-fastest time in the field, and puts him at No. 5 across all NCAA divisions. Last year, he won the 2016 NCAA Division II Cross Country Championship and earned the 5,000m indoor title.

Watch Kiprop take down the invitational heat at the 2017 Mt. SAC Relays 10,000m by running 28:19.94:

Women's 100m

When: Prelims -- ​Thursday, May 25 | 6:55 p.m.​, Finals -- Saturday, May 27 | 6:35 p.m.
Who: Sunaya Wahi (Adams State), Kaina Martinez (TAMU-Kingsville), Shanice Cameron (West Texas A&M), Kimberley Bailey (Lincoln)

If everyone runs to the best of their ability, this is going to be one tight race. At this year's Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championships, Wahi swept the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay and set her PR (11.42 seconds, converted to 11.49 for altitude). Although Wahi leads the group with that time, Martinez, Cameron, and Bailey are all tied at 11.52 seconds, so this title looks like it'll be up for grabs between these four sprinters.

Heptathlon

When: ​Thursday, May 25 | 11 a.m., Friday, May 26 | 10:30 a.m.
Who: Emilyn Dearman (Pittsburg State) ​

Dearman separated herself from the pack early in the outdoor season by setting a PR of 5924 points in the heptathlon--a mark that surpasses the next-closest competitor by nearly 500 points and has led Division II since April. Facing a loaded schedule this weekend, Dearman could also haul in points in the 400m hurdles and 100m hurdles, where she's ranked second and third, respectively. It will be interesting to see where the Pittsburg State coaching staff decides to utilize Dearman, as she's also entered in several open field events.

Men's & Women's 400m Hurdles

When: ​Prelims -- Thursday, May 25 | Women: 8:25 p.m., Men: 8:40 p.m.​, Finals -- Saturday, May 27 | Women: 7:20 p.m., Men: 7:30 p.m.
​Who: Tia-Adana Belle (St. Augustine's), ​​Shawn Rowe (St. Augustine's)​

Belle's season's-best mark of 56.26 seconds leads the rest of Division II by almost two seconds, and that's not even her PR--55.82 is. If she runs sub-58, she'll likely earn her third NCAA title this weekend.

On the men's side, Rowe finished runner-up at this year's Penn Relays with a PR of 49.36 seconds that ranks him No. 1 in Division II, No. 8 across all NCAA divisions, and No. 22 worldwide. As the only hurdler to crack 50 seconds this season, he's well-positioned to earn his first-ever Division II title.

Men's Shot Put

When: ​Saturday, May 27 | 5:05 p.m.​​
Who: Coy Blair (Tiffin), Jacob Mahin (Central Missouri), Elijah Talk (Ashland)​

Ranked No. 1 nationally, Blair's PR of 65'3.5"/19.90m is almost three feet further than the next-closest competitor's, and ranks No. 5 all-time in Division II. The battle between Mahin and Talk should be fierce. Their PRs/season's-best marks are separated by just two inches, and both are riding the momentum from good showings at their outdoor conference meets (Mahin won the MIAA title, and Talk finished runner-up at the GLIAC Championships).

Check out the full entry list here, and stay tuned through the weekend for results and coverage.