For the Penn State men's indoor track team, the time to perform starts now.

"This time of year is the time to really smoke," coach Harry Groves said.

Coming off of another win last weekend, the Nittany Lions will host the U.S. Coaches Association Collegiate Invitational beginning at 5 this evening and continuing tomorrow morning at 10.

There are two things that make this meet so big for the Lions. First, it is the last tune-up before the Big Ten Championships. Second, of the 10 teams set to compete this weekend, three are in Penn State's conference.

"I think any time you're facing schools from the Big Ten, there is always first rate competition," senior distance runner Chris McGinness said.

The fact that Ohio State, Indiana, and Illinois will be competing does not mean that the men are overlooking the other competition.

"Of course we want to go after everybody," McGinness said. "Everything we do is team oriented."

With the Big Ten Championships on the horizon, this meet gives the team a chance to compete in an event that is very similar. The team is excited to participate in a team-scored meet that has so many quality teams competing.

"I think as long as I have been here, this is as close in scoring and format to the Big Ten Championships without actually competing in it," senior captain Ben Karcz said.

Coach Groves said that the meet was purposely set up to resemble the upcoming Big Ten Championships. Although the competition is a step up for the team and is important to its progression, the team did not do anything to change its preparation during the week.

"It was a balance of a week," Groves said. "It has been no different than any other week."

That approach has given the team early season success. This weekend the team will begin to find out if the success will carry through the season's end when it will count the most.