This weekend the Washington track and field team will host the 2007 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Indoor Track and Field Championships, where seven of the 10 Pac-10 teams, as well as three of the West's other top teams will come to compete at Dempsey Indoor.

Coming off its first conference title at the meet last year, the Washington men will be looking to accomplish the same effort this year. Last year, the men's team barely edged out Stanford by just seven points and held off defending champion UCLA by 19 points.

"I think we have a good shot of winning again," said senior Ryan Brown. "We just have to do everything as well as we can and hope it works out well."

The Husky men are in a better position than any to defend their crown after last week's Trackwire 25 rankings. The rankings, which predict team finishes at the NCAA Indoor Championships, projected a fourth place finish for the men. The ranking was the highest-ever national ranking for the men's team, and a big improvement from its projected 11th place finish at the beginning of the season.

The men's team earned their ranking largely due to some top performances at the UW Indoor Invitational two weekends ago. At the conclusion of the meet, two Huskies were ranked No.1 in the U.S in their events and one had upset a reigning Olympic gold medalist.

On the women's side, the Huskies will be looking to improve upon a fifth place finish at last year's Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships. The Huskies barely got edged out of fourth place last year by Arizona.

"If everyone does a good job and does what they are capable of doing, I know we can do better this year," said senior Ashley Lodree.

The four-time NCAA All-American will be a definite help to score points for the Huskies this weekend. However, Lodree admits that the competition will be tough.

"In the Pac-10 there is always competition," Lodree said.

Dempsey Indoor, which is quickly becoming one of the most renowned tracks in the country, will be a reassurance for many on the Washington team.

"It's nice because we get to sleep in our own beds and we have a familiarity with the place," Brown said.

Reach reporter Rebecca Rogers at sports@thedaily.washington.edu.