Mankato, Minn. ---  The Minnesota State University men's and women's track and field teams will host the 2011 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Track and Field Championships this weekend in Myers Field House on the campus of Minnesota State University.

In all, 18 returning champions from last year's meet return this season,  including nine on each the men's and women's side.   Eleven teams will compete for the championship on the women's side while nine will do so on the men's side.

On the men's side MSU Moorhead junior Derek Bredy, the top scorer in last year's, returns to defend his titles in the 60-meter dash, the 200-meter dash and the long jump.    A year ago, the Dragons won their 22nd team title with 161.5 points.

The women's meet also includes the return of last year's top scorer, Augustana's Runa Falch.  A year ago, Falch – who shared the top scorer award with U-Mary's Melissa Walker, swept the 3,000 and 5,000 meter runs, setting new league records in each race.

The weekend will feature 40 student-athletes on the men's side who have provisionally qualified for next month's national championship and two that have reached the  automatic mark.  Fifty women have reached provisional marks, while four have reached the automatic mark.

The two-day long events starts Friday at Noon with the men's long jump and pole vault and the women's high jump and weight throw.

A .pdf of this release, including a complete schedule of events, a list of returning champions, a list of automatic and provisional qualifiers and more can be found HERE