LORETTO, Pa. (Nov. 30) - The Saint Francis University men's and women's track & field teams will open the indoor season tomorrow (Dec. 1) at the Bucknell University Bison Opener in Lewisburg, Pa.
 
Eight men and fourteen women will represent the Red Flash this weekend.
 
The women of LIU Brooklyn and Monmouth have owned the top two spots in the Northeast Conference in each of the last three years. LIU Brooklyn captured the team titles in 2010 and 2011, before Monmouth captured the title last year, with a one-point margin of victory. Meanwhile, the Saint Francis U women finished fifth in 2010 and 2011, before moving up to fourth last year.
 
Sprinters Alexis Hurd (Manchester, Md./North Carroll) and Maura Jones (Frostburg, Md./Mountain Ridge) and distance runner Jen Haffner (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) are the top returning scorers for the SFU women. Haffner and the rest of the distance runners will open their seasons in January. Ten first year student-athletes will make their debut for the SFU women at Bucknell.
 
On the men's side, three different teams have captured the NEC championship over the last three years. LIU Brooklyn won in 2010; Central Connecticut State in 2011; and Monmouth in 2012. The SFU men finished seventh in 2010, then moved up to fifth in 2011, before dropping to sixth place last year. SFU last captured the NEC Indoor Track & Field championship in 2009.
 
The SFU men return very few scorers. Sophomore pole vaulter Evan Falbo (Altoona, Pa./Altoona), junior sprinter Daniel Drozdowsky (Toronto, Ontario/Michael Power-St. Joseph), and sophomore distance runner Ryan Kennedy (New Kensington, Pa./Kiski Area) are the top three returning scorers for Saint Francis. The Red Flash will be depending largely on new scorers to step up. Six freshmen will make their debuts for the Saint Francis men on Saturday.
 
The Red Flash will be back in action on Jan. 5 at the Penn State Relays.