The Penn State women's track and field team is split in two this weekend.

Penn State women's track coach Beth Alford-Sullivan led a corps of 20 athletes to California yesterday to compete in the west coast's premiere track bonanza, which starts today. In Alford-Sullivan's group are some of the top names on the Nittany Lions roster who will be looking to post more NCAA regional qualifying marks against what is sure to be very stiff competition.

This is the same travel squad that competed last weekend at the Sea Ray Relays in Knoxville, Tenn., with the addition of thrower Lexi Benamati and minus distance runner Molly Landreth who will be staying in State College.

Alford-Sullivan said she would love to be able to take the entire team to California, but it wasn't feasible.

"I would love to be able to let the whole team experience a meet like this where the competition isn't just regional colleges, but national and even international teams too," she said. "We just can't afford to fly the whole team out to California."

The Mt. SAC Relays are held at Mt. San Antonio College, a large community college, on what is considered one of the fastest tracks in the world. The annual event draws the best high school, collegiate and international athletes including the likes of Marion Jones and husband Tim Montgomery. Jones is currently in a campaign to return to action after giving birth to the couple's first child -- talk about some fast genes -- en route to the Olympics this summer.

Landreth and the remaining squad that will stay in town will compete in the Nittany Lion Relays, a somewhat scaled down event. This will be the only home meet for the Lions this season while school is in session.

Traditionally a men's meet, the women's competition at the Nittany Lion Relays will consist of a few regional colleges, including Buffalo, Clarion and Hagerstown Community College.

Alford-Sullivan said she wanted to make sure everyone on the team is in some time of competition this weekend, and the Nittany Lion Relays is a good opportunity for some members to do just that.

"We [the coaches] just want to make sure everyone is where they're supposed to be at this point in the season," she said. "The team is looking forward to it too. I know they're anxious to get out there and have some fun."

Those staying home might just get a taste of California anyway, weather wise, with sun and 70-degree temperatures are in the State College forecast.