Three meets into the outdoor season, the Penn State women's track and field team is ready to get into the heart of its competition. With rising opposition has come rising efforts from the Nittany Lions, who put together a collection of regional qualifying performances last week at the Pepsi Team Invitational in Oregon. This weekend should be no different.

"Even though we've had only three meets under our belts, we're really starting to see people step up and shine," head coach Beth Alford-Sullivan said.

Looking to continue their success, three runners will travel to the Mt. Sac Relays today and tomorrow in California to face some of the world's best, while the rest of the team will head to the Sea Ray Relays tomorrow and Saturday in Tennessee to face equally intense collegiate competition.

At the Mt. Sac Relays, sophomore sprinters Briene Simmons and Dominique Blake will run in different heats of the 800-meter dash today at 2 p.m. and 2:30 p.m., respectively. Junior distance runner Molly Landreth will run in the 10,000-meter run tomorrow at 9:30 p.m.

Blake is looking to regionally qualify in her race this weekend. Sprints Coach Chris Johnson is hoping that both she and Simmons can use the competition to improve.

"I'm expecting them to go out there and better their times," Johnson said. "They're ready to do that. Training's been going well. They're ready to go out there and compete."

The Mt. Sac Relays, held at Mt. San Antonio College in California, has been known for the top-caliber athletes who have competed there in its 48-year history.

Top sprinters like Marion Jones have run there in the past, and this year's field of top athletes from countries like Mexico and professionals from the United States will make the intensity no different.

As for the rest of the team, they will travel to the Sea Ray Relays beginning at 8:45 a.m. tomorrow at Tom Black Track in Knoxville, Tenn. This meet also has a reputation for drawing national talent from about 50 collegiate teams.

"We'll have great competition," Alford-Sullivan said. "We're looking to get a few more regional qualifiers and some good marks and to take advantage of some good weather."

Junior sprinter and hurdler Kim Markel, who is having a breakout spring season, will look to improve her times in the 400-meter hurdles this weekend in Tennessee.

Her coaches are pleased with her work ethic and times so far this year, as she already regionally qualified in the 400-meter hurdles last weekend. Regional-qualifying junior Kamilah Salaam and junior Monique Walker, who have both stepped it up this spring as well, will join her in the 100-meter hurdles.

Overall, Alford-Sullivan is pleased with her entire team's efforts and is optimistic about the team's chances this weekend.

"All across the board people are stepping up and starting to do what they need to do," Alford-Sullivan said.