NCAA Championships Weekend is Here!

Let the national championships begin!

Collegiate harriers' half-year-long build-up which begins, typically, on the cool-down of the final track meet of the spring, grows on sweltering high summer runs, and gains its final polish as the leaves turn and fall, culminates for the top individuals and teams this weekend in Northfield, Minnesota, Joplin, Missouri, and Terre Haute, Indiana -- at the NCAA National Championships.

Minnesota's own Gopher, Maverick, Johnnie, Knight, Tommie, and Ole teams, plus a host of individuals will race this weekend in their sport's most challenging contests.

In the NCAA Division III Championships at St. Olaf College in Northfield on Saturday, St. John's Chris Erichsen will test his mettle against the top individuals in D3. A runner-up in the nationals steeplechase last spring, the senior looks to place high for himself and his #17 ranked team. Carleton's #23-ranked men will also compete on their cross-town rivals' course. The #23-ranked St. Thomas and #26 St. Olaf, who waged close battles with one another all season, will do so one last time.

Defending champion Calvin College of Michigan is the men's favorite. 2006 runner-up Amherst of Massachusetts is ranked #1 for women.

Minnesota State - Mankato will carry the North Star State guidon at the NCAA Division II Championships in Missouri on Saturday. The #6-ranked Mavs, who are making the program's 41st national meet appearance, have run solidly all season and likely have their sights set on a top-4, trophy-earning finish.

Colorado distance powers Western State and Adams State are ranked #1 and #2, respectively in the D2 men's rankings. They reverse that order atop the women's side of the ratings.

In Monday's big dance, the NCAA Division I Championships in Terre Haute -- which will be web-cast live HERE and which DtB will offer timely, on-site coverage from -- the Golden Gophers enter two of the best squads in the school's history. Gary Wilson's Big Ten and Midwest Regional champion women rank #5 in the country. Steve Plasencia's Big Ten and Midwest Regional runners-up men are rated #15.

Oregon's men are ranked #1; Stanford's two-time defending champion women (now with Minnesotan Alex Gits!) are tabbed to win a third women's title.