TRACK AND FIELD

FATHER DIAMOND INVITATIONAL

When: Saturday 10 a.m.

Where: Field House

Tickets: Free Admission

Participating Schools: Bowie State, Georgetown, Hampton, Lynchburg, Mary Washington, St. Augustine's, Temple, VCU, Virginia State, Virginia Union

Notes: The George Mason men's and women's track and field teams will begin the 2012 indoor season on Saturday when they host the Father Diamond Invitational at the Field House. The first field event begins at 10 a.m. and the first track event is at noon.

"We're really excited to kick off  the 2012 T&F season with the Father Diamond meet," said Head Coach Andy Gerard. "Not only is this meet one with a long history and tradition, but it is also at home, which is a great opportunity to start the year in a comfortable setting in front of a good crowd of family and friends."

"We'll have a large group competing with a really diverse set of expectations. With those athletes who competed in cross country, we're at a very preliminary stage of returning to training, while with a lot of the track-only athletes, this will serve as a great measuring tool to give us an idea of how their fall/early winter preparations have gone so far."

The Patriots are coming off a terrific season in which the men captured their second-consecutive CAA outdoor title while the women finished in second place. During the 2011 indoor season, the women finished in third place while the men placed fourth at the IC4A/ECAC Championships.