Penn State women's track and field coach Beth Alford-Sullivan isn't setting any lofty goals for her distance runners.

With its major strengths in other areas, the Penn State women's track and field team is just looking to scrap together a solid performance in the distance events at this weekend's Big Ten Championships in Madison, Wis.

"We can't make a significant impact there this year -- we just don't have that strength -- but we will hold our own there and the kids are primed up for that," Alford-Sullivan said.

Alford-Sullivan said she likes what she sees in the 600 and 800-meter runs from the likes of senior Cheryl Green and junior Briene Simmons. Other races to watch are fifth-year senior All-American Molly Landreth's events -- the 3,000 and 5,000-meter runs.

Though she's very positive about Penn State's talent level, Alford-Sullivan sums up the rest of the conference rather bluntly.

"The Big Ten Conference is very, very strong in distance," she said.

Illinois, Michigan and Minnesota all had top-10 finishes in the fall's cross country national championships.

Junior Katie Erdman of Michigan has the nation's fastest 800-meter time, and her freshman teammate Geena Gall has a top-five time. Minnesota freshman Heather Dorniden follows Erdman immediately by a margin of only .09 seconds.

Wolverines sophomore Nicole Edwards has the 13th best time nationally in the 800 to go along with the nation's sixth-best mile.

Landreth's top competition will come from Illinois junior Cassie Hunt in the 3,000 and a trio of Michigan underclassmen with top-10 national times in the 5,000. Landreth currently sits at 36th in the 5,000.

The strength of the field doesn't intimidate Landreth, a seasoned veteran with Big Ten experience. Landreth redshirted in 2005 after being a major piece of the 2004 team, which won the Big Ten Indoor Championship.

"I'm just excited to go out and contribute," Landreth said.

Alford-Sullivan thinks the Nittany Lions can make up some major ground in the distance medley relay, but she has not yet decided who will compete in the event. She has mixed-and-matched all season long searching for her best legs. Possible performers include Landreth, Green, sophomore Jordan Bauman and juniors Kim Markel and Shannon Van Dyke. Final lineups are due in today.

Alford-Sullivan hopes the four runners she chooses can give Michigan (third nationally) and Minnesota (sixth) a run for their money.