At most track meets, the running events take center stage and become the crowd's main focus of attention. This Big Ten season has shown that the field portion of track and field deserves just as much attention, and this weekend's Big Ten Women's Indoor Track and Field Championships has the opportunity to feature some of the best field performances in the country.

The jumping events immediately stand out because of the level of talent that will be competing in those events. It starts with the long jump and defending Big Ten champion and Penn State junior Chi Chi Aduba. Aduba is currently first in the conference with a mark of 20-7, which is significantly farther than even her first-place jump of 19-9 at last year's championship. Aduba should not go unchallenged this weekend, however, as the Indiana University tandem of Rose Richmond and Tandra Foster also look to have strong performances.

"[Aduba] will be up against some significant competition," Penn State assistant track and field coach Jeff McAuley said. "Rose Richmond should really provide a challenge."

Aduba is also a threat to win the triple jump, an event in which she automatically qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships earlier this month. Aduba's jump of 43-3 1/4 is third-best in the Big Ten, but she will face some tough competition from the rest of the field. Three of the nation's top six triple jumpers compete in the Big Ten.

Illinois senior Nicole Whitman set a Big Ten indoor record in the triple jump earlier this season with a leap of 44-2, a mark that leads the conference and was second best in the nation.

Whitman is also the defending conference triple jump champion.

Minnesota's Shani Marks, who ranks second in the Big Ten and also finished behind Whitman in last year's championships, will look to take the title away from Whitman.

The throwers will also play a prominent role this weekend as the Nittany Lions look to have more athletes participate and score in the throwing events. The Lions are looking to get a boost this year from senior Deshaya Williams, who was redshirted during last year's conference championships and did not compete.

"We're definitely looking to score more points in throwing events this year," Penn State assistant track and field coach Dayna Holston said. "It's a very tough conference with a lot of talent, but we have some upperclassmen who I think will do well."

Ohio State should give the Lions one of the biggest challenges in the 20-pound weight throw and the shot put. Holston calls the Buckeyes the strongest throwing team in the conference, along with Michigan. Buckeyes Keturah Lofton and Amarachi Ukabam lead the Big Ten in the weight throw and Krista Keir is first in the shot put. Along with Williams, the Lions will turn to juniors Ja'nai O'Connor and Lexi Benamati in the shot put and will include sophomore Kate Johnston into the mix in the weight throw.

Rounding out the field events are the pole vault and high jump.

The Lions look to get a strong performance from junior Sara Dougherty, last year's runner-up in the Big Ten finals. Dougherty has one of the top marks in the conference and, along with fellow junior Lindsey McDonnell, has a chance to earn points for her team.

Senior Kathy Messner currently ranks seventh in the conference in the high jump and will compete against standouts Stephanie Linz of Michigan and defending champion Tamara Smith of Ohio State. Penn State women's track and field coach Beth Alford-Sullivan believes that the team's many field event athletes will pull together and have an impact this weekend.

"We're looking to get points from all areas of the team this year," Alford-Sullivan said.

"We have a great group that trains and works hard together. We're looking forward to representation from all over."