Some say you can't go home again. This may or may not be true, but Coach Harry Groves and the men's track and field team are certainly going to try as they kick off their outdoor season today in the Colonial Relays at William & Mary.

Groves himself founded the annual event 27 years ago during his 13-year coaching tenure at William & Mary.

"I wanted a home meet," he said. "Initially, the school wasn't interested, so I got some local merchants to back it, to contribute $100 for the prizes, and it took off. That first year, 78 teams competed. State legislators came to see their kids and grandkids compete. That's when the president got interested. The event continued."

Over 4,000 athletes are scheduled to compete in the individually-scored meet this year, including Penn State's 32-man contingent. This means that individual entries in the events are difficult to ensure.

"There are so many people, there have to be severe limitations. You have to be among the best in the event to be allowed to enter," Groves said.

This latest chapter of the Colonial Relays story includes eight relays and 20 individual events. The Lions will send All-American shot-putter C.J. Hunter to compete in that event as well as the hammer throw and the discus. Also competing in those events is Phil Caraher.

All-American 200-meter man Michael Timpson and Sam Harris are slated to run in the 400-meter, 800-meter and the shuttle hurdle relays. NCAA-qualifier Ken Frazier appears in both the distance medley and the 6,400-meter relays. Team co-captain Brian Laird competes in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, a two-mile-plus course filled with obstacles such as three-foot hedge barriers and 24-inch deep water pits.

Co-captain Eric Steenstra, normally a decathlete, appears in the discus, shot put, and hurdles.

"I had a pulled muscle," he said. "But I feel like I'm ready to go. So is the team. We're prepared. It's early, and at first we were questioning going down so early in the season. But we realized it'll get us prepared for the rest of the season; you know, give us a chance to get our feet wet."

Chris Mills and Mark Anderson run in the 3,200-meter and distance medley relays. Doug Walter competes in the 3,200- and 6,400-meter relays, Aidan O'Reilly in the 6,400-meter relay and the 1,500-meter run.

Ricardo Hall appears in the shuttle hurdle relay and the triple jump, Greg Large in the intermediate hurdles. Mark Algeri and Tom Kleban battle 60 other competitors in the pole vault.