Five field events will be held at nearby State Farm Fields, including the men's hammer, the men's and women's javelin, the men's decathlon javelin and the women's heptathlon javelin.

It marks the 12^th year and the first time since 2007 that the championships will be hosted by the Mountaineers.

This year marks the 86^th championship for the men and 24^th for the women. The 445 participants scheduled to compete in the event is an all-time high.

The championships begin Saturday at 8 a.m. with five men's decathlon events, followed by four women's heptathlon events at 8:30 a.m. The awards ceremony is tentatively scheduled for Sunday at 4:45 p.m.

The event is free to the public. Live results will be available at the conclusion of each event at the official timing website. Daily recaps can be found on the Southern Conference website.

Western Carolina claimed the men's title last year, while Appalachian State took the top spot on the women's side. The Catamounts are seeking their fifth conference title and fourth since 2000. The Mountaineers look to claim their 17^th league championship and seventh since 2000.

There are 23 defending champions competing in this year's championships, including men's heptathlon winner Sean Reardon from Western Carolina. Chattanooga's Anneli Uys is seeking back-to-back victories in both the 800m and 1500m. Her teammate Chris Berry has a chance to claim his second consecutive title in the 5000m. Davidson's Danielle Ruggieri can claim her second-straight title in the 10,000m. Samford teammates Blaise Carie and Hillary Neal are seeking a sweep by the Bulldogs in the men's and women's steeplechase for the second year in a row.

College of Charleston's Emily Smith will look to repeat as the top finisher in the women's high jump, while The Citadel's Kevin Hardy is seeking his second consecutive title on the men's side. Samford's Patrick Wells can claim the top spot in the pole vault for the second-straight year.

The most recent power rankings, which include meets through April 17, have Appalachian State, Western Carolina and Samford in the top three spots for both men and women. The Mountaineers lead on the men's side and are second for the women, while the Catamounts took first for the women and second for the men. Samford rounds out the top three for both.

The rankings are determined by the top eight times or scores that are reported by the schools for each event that will be conducted at this weekend's championships.

Men's Outdoor Track and Field Pre-Championship Power Rankings

Women's Outdoor Track and Field Pre-Championship Power Rankings

Live results will be available at the conclusion of each event at the official timing website. Daily recaps can be found on the Southern Conference website.