2016 Atlantic 10 Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships
When: May 7-8
Where: George Mason Stadium, Fairfax, Va.
Live results: Click Here
Schedule of events: Click Here
Tickets: Will be available on site and are cash only

FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason men's and women's track and field teams are ready to defend their turf – and crowns.

For the second straight year, the Patriots will host the Atlantic 10 Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships. The two-day meet begins Saturday and continues through Sunday at George Mason Stadium.

Both the Mason men and women captured the conference crowns last year. The women won their second straight A-10 title, having won the championship in each of their first two years since joining the conference in 2014. The men claimed their first A-10 crown title last year, knocking off two-time defending champ Rhode Island.

On the men's side, George Mason head coach Andrew Gerard thinks it will be a showdown once again between Mason and Rhode Island. In the last five men's track conference championships – indoor and outdoor – the Rams and Patriots have finished first and second each time. Rhode Island has been victorious four of those times, including winning the 2016 indoor title less than three months ago by just four points.

“We know Rhode Island comes to compete,” Gerard said. “This is an important one for them. It is an important one for us. When you get a clash of two teams like that it is certainly important. On the other hand, we don't necessarily bang heads with Rhode Island in some of our strongest events. And some of their strongest events are not some of our strongest events. There is that element within the team competition as well.”

On the women's side, Mason has a target on its back as the two-time defending champ. But Gerard doesn't believe there is one true favorite, saying as many as five teams could finish within 10 to 20 points of each other.

“There is a lot of parity and equity on the women's side,” he said.

This weekend's meet kicks off championship season. The Patriots have one last chance this weekend to make qualifying marks or times for the IC4A/ECAC Championships, which runs from May 13-15 in Princeton, N.J. The NCAA East Regional begins May 26-28 in Jacksonville, Fla., with the NCAA Championships to follow June 8-11 in Eugene, Ore.

“We expect to compete at a high level,” Gerard said. “That expectation has been underlined all year. So I don't think it is something new coming into this. It is our biggest team focus as far as the whole group. It is the largest number of participants from our team. It involves the most athletes that we would send to any of our championships. It is our first championship. It is at home. Of the ascending order of championships from here to the IC4As to the NCAAs we'll have the most representation at this one. The most kids can get to this championship.

“It is certainly an important one for us. I don't think we do anything differently. It is the same from year to year.”

The A-10 Championships kick off at 10:30 a.m. Saturday with the men's hammer throw. The men's decathlon starts at 11 a.m., with the women's heptathlon set to begin at 11:15 a.m. The running events get going at 2 p.m. with the men's 110-meter hurdles. For a full schedule of events click here.