When it comes to men's team indoor track meets, this is the big one.

The Big Ten Indoor Track Championships are coming to Penn State this weekend. Ten teams will battle each other on Saturday and Sunday in the Multi-Sport Complex for the right to be crowned the conference champion.

For the Nittany Lions, this meet is what they have been building up for all season long.

"This is absolutely what we gear for," distance runner Chris McGinness said. "If you can knock heads with teams in the Big Ten, you know you are a good track team."

The Lions have already shown that they are a good team this indoor season. They have been victorious in all five of the team-scored meets they have competed in. The have scored higher than all 22 teams they have faced this season.

In most of those meets the team has gone against some top-notch competition. This favors the Lions as they go into Big Tens.

"We've had solid competition all year," sprinter Greg Miller said. "There was no real meet that we could cruise through. We had to scratch and claw just like we will have to do in this meet."

The wins against those teams have paid off in recognition as well. The U.S. Track Coaches Association has Penn State ranked No. 3 in its Power Rankings.

Another confidence booster for this meet came two weekends ago when the Lions beat 10 teams in a meet at home. Amongst those teams was Ohio State, a team that is one of the favorites to take home the title this weekend.

"I think the top schools are going to be Ohio State, Wisconsin and ourselves," coach Harry Groves said.

This is the first time the men will host the Big Ten Indoor Track Championships. Hosting the meet in the team's beautiful facility is something Groves is excited about and looking forward to.

"We're looking to show off a little bit at home," Groves said.

They will be showing what they have in one of the best track conferences in the nation, a point the team will not overlook and one that should make this event special.

"The Big Ten is so strong in just about every sport," Groves said. "It is definitely stronger than most conferences in track."

Having that competition at home should help the team as it competes this weekend.

"It's just great knowing it is at our place," McGinness said. "It's going to make everyone reach down a little deeper."