The Penn State women's track team will step up to its second meet of the outdoor season at 10 a.m. on Sunday at the Quaker Invitational on the University of Pennsylvania's Franklin Field.

The team will run against 15 East Coast teams, including Temple and Rutgers. The invitational includes no other Big Ten teams, so it is mostly serving Penn State as a stepping stone to competition with other conference teams.

"We're still handling it as a competition and obviously want to do well, but it is more of a tune-up for us." distance runner Kim DeNovellis said.

"The invitational setting will be a good warm-up to higher competition," Penn State women's track coach Beth Alford-Sullivan added.

Because the team is traveling as an unlimited squad, the invitational will also benefit those who don't usually have the chance to compete. Unlimited competition includes the entire team and gives everyone an opportunity to run against other teams. Normally, only about half the team is able to travel to away meets.

"It's a good opportunity to have the whole team together, and it encourages team unity," DeNovellis said.

This meet comes on the heels of the Raleigh Relays, in which several of the women competed last weekend. Nearly 110 teams, including about 2000 runners, competed in the relays, which were hosted by North Carolina State.

The team agreed that Raleigh was a positive opening meet, though the transition from indoor competition to outdoor presents several challenges. For instance, the outdoor track is twice as big as the indoor, and outdoor competition includes events such as discus and javelin that indoor does not.

"The transition from indoor to outdoor is significant. There is a lot of adjustment necessary not only in the technical but also in the racing components," said Alford-Sullivan. "The relays were a good chance for us to test the water."

The team, competing in last weekend's beautiful weather and with a positive team atmosphere, took the transition in stride.

"We did really well considering we haven't been fully prepared to really compete outside yet," high jumper Jen Aylward said. "The competition was good for getting everyone back into the feel of outdoors."

"It was a good chance to get the first-race jitters out so that everyone feels more comfortable and confident," sprinter and distance runner Jen Maline said. "From now on, we just have to take it one step further each meet."

At Raleigh, Aylward took third place in the high jump and senior Toyin Augustus placed sixth in the 100 meter dash, and fifth in the 100 meter hurdles. Freshman Lexi Benamati also placed, coming in sixth in the shot put, and sophomore Brianne Johnson took seventh in the javelin.

The Lions will look for at least such positive results as they continue their transition this weekend in Philadelphia.