The Gophers will try to win their third Big Ten outdoor track and field meet in a row this weekend. The three-day conference meet starts Friday in Iowa City, Iowa.

Minnesota won the indoor conference title this year and if it can win the outdoor title, too, it would be the Gophers' third consecutive sweep of both titles and fourth overall. They also swept in 1998.

Last year the Gophers won the title with 145 points, 21 more than runner-up Ohio State.

The Gophers return two defending champions, Ben Peterson in the pole vault and Micah Hegerle in the hammer throw. Also back, after missing the meet last year, are Hassan Mead and Aaron Studt.

Mead won the 5,000 and 10,000 in 2009, Studt the shot put.

Other strong events for the Gophers:

* decathlon: Brock Spandl has top conference score

* hammer: Quentin Mege is seeded third

Gophers coach Steve Plasencia is in his third season as the men's track coach and, so far, has won five conference titles in five opporunities, three indoor titles and two outdoor.

The Big Ten Network will televise meet highlights at noon on May 22.