At the end of last year’s inaugural Allegheny College Gator Track and Field Invite, AC head coach Bill Ross said, “Boy, is this meet going to get huge next season.”

He was right about that.

The second-annual event is set to start Friday at 1 p.m. with 727 expected event entries, including 47 in the much-anticipated men’s 1,500-meter run and 49 in the men’s 5,000-meter run.

“The meet has grown with the field sizes,” Ross said. “The meet last year we had 47 national qualifying performances and two Olympic qualifying performances. Word spread quickly across the country, so people are wanting to come here.”

The event will be headlined by Allegheny Colege senior Liz Earley in the hammer throw. Earley holds the school record in the event and had the longest throw in Division III this season.

She placed fifth at the Penn Relays last month and is ranked No. 2 in the country.

“If people are curious to see what the hammer throw is all about, here is an opportunity to see one of the best in the country do it,” Ross said.

Her personal best is 53.34 meters.

The men’s shot put will take place at 5 p.m. and will also be a point of interest for fans.

“Five of the top six guys in the country are throwing against each other,” Ross said. “All the other field events will be done so everyone can watch.”

Mount Union seniors Daniel Gund and Matt Dawson are seeded first and second at 18.03 and 16.61 meters.

State University of New York at Brockport senior Josh Dupuis (16.47), Shippensburg junior Sean Minnich (16.45), Kutztown senior Jim Dart (16.45), AC senior Frank Tupta (16.15) and Mount Union sophomore Judd Lutz (15.95) round out the top of a field of highly-ranked throwers.

“We have seven guys that throw over 53 feet. The top guy is from Mount Union who throws 59 feet.”

The men’s pole vault will also take place at 5 p.m. with 2003 Allegheny graduate and world championship qualifier Jeremy Scott returning to compete.

Scott cleared 18 feet, 63⁄4 inches last May.