Posted on the wall next to the thrower's circle at the Multi-Sport Facility is a paper with three words: Big Ten Time.

For the throwers on the Penn State women's track and field team, these three simple words carry a meaning that has served as the focal point of their preparation for this championship weekend. The team will be traveling to Wisconsin for the Big Ten Championships Saturday and Sunday.

"Physically, you're at your peak," said throws coach Dayna Holston Wenger. "Mentally, you gotta step up, you gotta be ready to put it out there for the team so when we say 'Big Ten Time' that just is three words that mean a lot."

The throwers will be led by senior Jennifer Leatherman who is the defending Big Ten champion in the shot put and weight throw, two events she has dominated again this year. Fellow thrower junior Helen Higgins has also scored points for the Nittany

Lions in the weight throw this year, and she is looking to contribute more points this weekend as well. Sophomore Toya Woods has also been placing just out of scoring range in the shot put, and she has the potential to put some points on the board for the Lions this weekend.

Head coach Beth Alford Sullivan thinks that the throws will be able to contribute valuable points to the overall team score.

"If they just go in and compete in their events, we could pull up some back end points with those kids as well, so the throws look good to us," Sullivan said.

The Lions will face their toughest competition in the throws from Ohio State, Minnesota and Purdue. Currently, Ohio State has three throwers ranked in the top eight in the Big Ten. Leading the Buckeyes is senior Keturah Lofton, who has provisionally qualified for NCAA's in the 20-pound weight throw already this season. She will be joined by teammates Janine Zylinski and Veronica Jastek, who are also forces in the shot put.

Minnesota thrower Liz Alabi finished third in the shot put at the 2004 championships and will also be challenging the Lions.

The throwing squad, which is mostly comprised of upperclassmen, will bring its experience to the meet this weekend. The rest of the throwers are looking to add some support to Leatherman's usually dominating performance.

"You really do see people step up, and that's what it's going to take," Holston Wenger said.