The NCAA outdoor track season is young, but the University of Southern California's home meet this weekend, the Power 5 Trailblazer Challenge, may prove to be the most important invitational of the year. 

The Trojans' Director of Track & Field, Caryl Smith Gilbert, created the meet with the intention to invite only fellow power five conference schools with a female head coach. The meet is the first of its kind.

Of 60 such programs, only five have female directors: Gilbert herself, Amy Deem at the University of Miami, Beth Alford-Sullivan at the University of Tennessee, Connie Price-Smith at the University of Mississippi and Karen Dennis at Ohio State.

Director of Track & Field @coachcarylsg explains the concept and vision behind this weekend's Trailblazer Challenge. #Trailblazing5 #ThinkPink pic.twitter.com/zO1kN60tq4

— USC Track & Field (@USC_Track_Field) March 23, 2018

"People say it's important for women to see women in leadership positions, but I disagree," the 48-year-old Gilbert said to Lindsey Thiry for the L.A. Times. "I think it's important for men and women to see women in leadership positions because men need to see strong women as well.

"I hope that athletic directors see that women can do the job just like anyone else and I hope that athletic directors will give more women the opportunity to interview for jobs and be part of, not just track and field jobs, but all jobs."

Some pretty fierce women #Trailblazing5 pic.twitter.com/fRZ9r12CkK

— USC Track & Field (@USC_Track_Field) March 23, 2018

Gilbert led the USC men's team to a runner-up team finish at the NCAA DI Indoor Track & Field Championships earlier this month, which is the best-ever finish for a men's team coached by a woman.

"I want to be known as one of the greatest coaches there ever was," Gilbert said to the L.A. Times about the accomplishment. "Not one of the greatest female coaches that ever was."

We talked to Caryl Smith Gilbert after the NCAA DI Indoor Track & Field Championships, where the USC men placed runners-up in the team standings and Trojans produced two world records (men's 4x4, Michael Norman in the men's 400m) and an additional American record (Kendall Ellis in the women's 400m).