At last year's Big Ten Women's Indoor Track and Field Championships, the University of Michigan came into Penn State and walked away with the conference title. The Wolverines won a variety of events and used strong performances from many athletes en route to their biggest team victory of the year. The Penn State women's indoor track team took notice.

One of the keys to a championship-caliber team is balance, something that Michigan has and the Nittany Lions are developing. The Lions have shown this depth by winning their first three scored meets of the season. This weekend they'll get to see how far they have come when Michigan comes back to Happy Valley for the Collegiate Challenge Cup.

Michigan women's track and field coach James Henry believes that Penn State is a team very similar to his own.

"Penn State mirrors the type of team we have," Henry said. "We both have some excellent balance this year. The only difference between us is that we're maize and blue and they're blue and white."

Coming from the coach of the defending champions, comparing the teams so closely is a big compliment. Penn State women's track and field coach Beth Alford-Sullivan agreed with most of Henry's assessment.

"We've definitely been trying to get balance on our team," Alford-Sullivan said. "I think both teams have strength from all over, although they might be a bit ahead of us. They're going to give us a great challenge."

The Wolverines are best known this year for their mid-distance and distance runners. Michigan currently holds the best Big Ten times in the 400-meter, 600-meter, and 800-meter, and mile runs. The team is also strong in relays, leading the conference in the 4-by-400 and distance medley relays.

Junior Carly Knazze's time of 55.52 in the 400-meter and sophomore Lindsey Gallo's 4:44.52 in the mile both lead the conference and were turned in during last week's Meyo Invitational at Notre Dame. This is especially promising for the Wolverines because their times in these events have improved since the start of the season. Michigan has also gotten some surprising performances from freshman mid-distance runner Katie Erdman, who leads the Big Ten in both the 600-meter and 800-meter runs.

The Wolverines also will have some measure of confidence in their abilities against Big Ten competition. Michigan has already handily beaten Indiana and Michigan State at this year's Michigan Quadrangular.

Despite the team's success, Henry cautioned that his team can't afford to get overconfident. "We've been winning, we've been at the top before," Henry said. "But we can't allow ourselves to get complacent. We're always trying to be top three [in the Big Ten]."

Penn State has learned a lot this season from seeing how Michigan won last year. The fact that Henry has been watching the Lions' accomplishments closely shows that they may be closer to the top of the conference than they have been in awhile. "We need to hold off up-and-comers like Penn State," Henry said. "They're a hungry team and we just need to keep them from eating."

Now it's Michigan's turn to take notice.