MANSFIELD – There are high expectations for the Mansfield University indoor track and field teams this season as the Mountaineers get ready to travel to the Golden Flash Invite hosted by Kent State University on Saturday, December 10. Boasting a solid group of accomplished veterans along with a corps of talented newcomers, the 2011-12 season could be a memorable one.

Since his arrival at Mansfield ten years ago, head men's track and field coach, Mike Rohl, has turned an undersized and overlooked team into a force to be reckoned with at the conference and national level. This season, Rohl is looking to send a record amount of athletes to the Indoor Championships.

Furthermore, there will be a fresh face on the Mountaineer coaching staff this season as Nadine Faustin-Parker enters her first season at the helm of the Mansfield women's track and field program.

Faustin-Parker, a three-time Olympian, comes to Mansfield after serving the last four years as the Director of Track and Field Operations/Administration and Assistant Coach for the men's and women's hurdles and multi-events at the University of North Carolina.

Mansfield has a highly competitive group of seniors this year in Brenae Edwards, Alicia Edkin, Justen Johnson, and Kevin Cusworth.

Last season, Edwards became the first female athlete in school history to win a conference title, taking first in the women's 5,000m competition at the 2011 PSAC Indoor Championships in Edinboro. Edwards followed that performance by placing 7^th at the NCAA Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico, earning All-American accolades in the process.

Edkin enters her senior season as the current record holder in the women's hammer and weight throw competitions. At last season's PSAC Championships, Edkin placed 11^th in the women's shot put event.

Johnson, who was a member of the Mansfield record-setting 4x400 team, will focus on the 400m run this season. Last year, Johnson was a member of the men's DMR team that took second at the conference championships.

Cusworth is coming off a solid cross country season where he was the top runner for the Mountaineers. The senior will focus on the distance events.

Entering her junior season, Alexa Tsiknas is the Mounties top vaulter after earning a trip to the NCAA championships in 2011. Tsiknas set a school record secured a spot to nationals after placing second at the conference championships last season with a height of 12-00.50.

Tsiknas will be joined by men's vaulter Chris McCarty who transferred to Mansfield from Lock Haven University. McCarty has already made a splash with the Mounties, qualifying for the PSAC meet in the pole vault.

In the sprints, sophomore Caitie Good - who holds school records in the 60m and 200m dashes – will look to continue the success of her rookie season while newcomer Olivia Lopes will also compete in the 60m and 200m. Last week, Lopes nearly broke the school record in the 300m at Cornell.

For the men's sprints, returners Dane Moist and Brandon Marlow will focus on the 200m and 400m respectively while freshmen Alex Bock and Bob McCoy will look to earn points in the 400m.

Along with Edwards, Jess Scordino and Kristy Scordino will be top contenders in the distance events this season. The Scordinos have made great strides during the offseason and are coming off an impressive cross country season.

For the men's distance events, Michael Robinson and Jake Shedden have the ability to score points for Mansfield at the conference meet. Shedden, who transferred to Mansfield from Penn College, placed second overall at the USCAA Cross Country National Championships last year.

Freshmen Jacob Cobb and Russ Hammaker will lead the Mountie men in the throws this season. The duo has been working hard during the fall and is starting to make the adjustment to the college implement. Junior Brooke Klett has greatly improved in the shot put and will be a top competitor in the women's throws.

Mansfield travels to Kent State's Golden Flash Invite for the last meet of 2011 on Saturday, December 10.