“Focus” is in the air as one enters the Stokes Center’s Auxiliary Gym.

The Red Flash men’s and women’s track and field teams are preparing for the Northeast Conference indoor championships this weekend, Feb. 18-19, on Staten Island, New York.

At last winter’s NEC indoor championships, the Red Flash men’s team finished in fifth place while the women’s team placed seventh.

Many point scorers from last year’s indoor finals are returning in the field events, including shot putter Pop Little and pole vaulters Taylor Thurnherr, Grace Baldessaro and Alyssa Sniechoski. On the track, Bryce England and Hannah Weber both scored at last year’s NEC indoor finals.

“We have multiple athletes that we expect to step up and place higher than what their seeds are,” said SFU assistant coach Ethan Perry.

Little placed second in the shot put at last year’s NEC indoor finals. He has his sights set on gold this weekend.

“Pop has stiff competition at the top of the conference,” said Perry. “I think he is able to win the shot put, but it will definitely take him stepping up to achieve that.”

Daniel Myers is also expected to do well this weekend. The junior sprinter leads the NEC with a time of 21.69 in the 200-meter dash. High jumpers Nicholas McKnight and Nicholas Miller currently rank third and fourth, respectively, in the NEC in that event. Dashawn Jackson sits in fifth place in the 60-meter hurdles.

“Their objective ultimately is to win a championship,” said Perry.

On the women’s side, Hannah Dorian, Hannah Weber and Danae Peters will be battling in the distance events.

Taylor Thurnherr is a favorite in the pole vault. SFU could fare very well in this event at the finals, with six Red Flash pole vaulters competing, more than any other school in the conference.

The championship meet will take place at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex.