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CEDAR FALLS, Iowa  --  Wichita State's track and field programs — both the league favorites — will compete beginning Saturday at the 2017 Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships inside the UNI-Dome.

The two-day event will be open to the public with tickets costing $10 for adults, $5 for youth. Northern Iowa is hosting the event for the 17th time and for the 10th consecutive year.

Multi-events will get started at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 25 with the Pentathlon, followed by field events at 2 p.m. and action getting underway on the track at 4 p.m. On Sunday, the meet will being at 9:30 a.m. with the completion of the men's Heptathlon with field events at 11 a.m. and track action starting at 1:25 p.m.

Valley teams have 13 men in 11 events and 10 women in four events that are currently ranked in the top-50 in the nation, giving track and field fans a chance to see the best talent in the country this weekend.

WSU is ranked nationally in the Top 21 in three men's events, and ranked better than No. 21 four times on the women's side.

Hunter Veith is No. 8 in the NCAA this winter in the Heptathlon with 5,802 points, which he earned at the UNI Jack Jennett Invitational in the UNI Dome. The men's Shocker Distance Medley Relay is No. 21 in the country with a time of 9:50.45, which the quartet set at the Tyson Invitational earlier this season. Veith is also No. 21 in the long jump with a distance of 25-0/7.62m.

The highest-ranked women for the Shockers are Nikki Larch-Miller (7th/4,143), Breanne Borman (11th/3,996), Martiesha Caines (19th/3,926) and Gavyn Yetter (21st/3,887) in the Pentathlon.

This winter, WSU's Indoor Track and Field team has three school records on the men's side and four women's records heading into the Championship. Veith holds the Heptathlon record (5,802). Ugis Jocis holds the 3,000 meter record (8:07.18) and the DMR holds the record at 9:50.45.

Nikki Larch-Miller set the 400 meter record (54.57) and the 60 meter hurdles record (8.27) in 2017. In addition, Kelsey Slawson set the shot put record at 49-9.75/15.18, and the 4x400 meter relay team set the record twice, the last time in a time of 3:40.88.

The top-eight finishers in each event will score team points, with the Shockers heading into the weekend with the Shockers No. 1 in four events and the women No. 1 in seven events.  

Both squads were picked in the Pre-Championship poll as favorites.

On the men's side, the Shockers are looking to repeat as Indoor Conference Champions.  Last season, the team claimed the title with a total of 141.5, edging out Southern Illinois by nine points.

Those Shocker men with top MVC marks are:
Distance Medley Relay- 9:50.45
Hunter Veith, LJ- 25-0
Kaden Griffin, TJ-48-11.5
Hunter Veith, Heptathlon-5,802

In addition, Jared Belardo is second to Griffin in the triple jump (48-9) and Ben Johnson is second to Veith in the Heptathlon (5,282).

On the women's side, the Shockers are looking for redemption, after claiming second at the 2016 MVC Indoor Championship.  Wichita State was bested by the Illinois State Redbirds by 10 points in the final results.

Those Shocker women with top MVC marks are:
Nikki Larch-Miller, 400m-54.57
Sidney Hirsch, 5,000m-16:50.58
Nikki Larch-Miller, 60m hurdles-8.27
4x400m relay- 3:40.88
Martiesha Caines, HJ-5-7.75/1.72m
Kelsey Slawson, SP-49-9.75/15.18m
Nikki Larch-Miller, Pentathlon-4,143

In addition, Borman is second to Caines in the high jump, Jamesia Milton is second to Slawson in the shot put and Taylor Larch-Miller is second in the 60 meter hurdles to Nikki.

In the mile, Rebekah Topham (4:43.39) is second to Brooke Moore of Indiana State by .35 and also in the 3,000 meters by less than one second (9:36.13).

Fans wishing to follow along with the action at the MVC Indoor Championships can watch live on ESPN3 on Saturday (Live at 6:30 p.m. CT) and Sunday (Live at 1:15 p.m. CT).