Head coach Barry Harwick said the meet will be one of the last opportunities for the team to highlight its development during the indoor season.
"This weekend, the coaches will evaluate students individually and it will be a good chance for the kids to show us the progress they've made up until now," he said.
The teams' coaches will decide who will compete at the Ivy League Heptagonal Championships after the meet, according to Harwick. Dartmouth will compete in the Heptagonal Championships in late February.
Although the Dartmouth Classic is not typically billed as a difficult race for Dartmouth, Harwick said the Big Green will face eight other teams, including rivals such as the University of New Hampshire, Quinnipiac University, Keene State College and the University of Vermont.
"There are a few guys from UNH and Keene State that I competed against all four years of high school and now all four years of college," thrower David Irving '11 said in an e-mail to The Dartmouth. "There is definitely a friendly rivalry with the guys that will be here."
Irving will likely continue to be a formidable force in field events, after throwing a distance of 62.04 feet to qualify for the IC4A Championships last weekend, according to Harwick.
Women's mid-distance runner Chrissy Supino '12 said the team is hoping to use the meet as a stepping stone for success later in the season.
"[We're] really trying to get ready for [the Heptagonal Championships]," she said. "We are really excited and trying to keep the momentum going."
Following the Big Green's strong race at the Terrier Classic last weekend in Boston, Mass., Harwick said he expects similar performances this week.
Despite the success last weekend, Harwick said he will likely rest some of the distance runners this weekend in order "to keep them fresh" and safe from injury.
Supino qualified for the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships with a second-place time of 2:11.62 in the 800-meter event at the Terrier Classic.
Women's tri-captain Alex Tanner '11 echoed Harwick's optimism, and said the team is hoping to capitalize on its recent success.
"I think our team is going to do really well at this meet," she said. "We've all been improving and we had some really great performances at our meet last weekend at [Boston University], so the plan is for that to continue."
The team will attempt to concentrate on its focus this weekend, according to Supino.
"Even if you are in great shape, if you aren't there mentally then things are going to happen," she said. "We are trying to make sure this isn't a problem for our team."
The men's distance athletes stood out on the track last weekend, with 10 runners qualifying for the IC4A Indoor Track and Field Championships. Phil Royer '13 one of four Big Green athletes who qualified in the 5,000-meter run topped that event with a time of 14:07.48.
The women's long-distance program also performed well last weekend, with three runners setting ECAC Championship qualifying times in the 3,000-meter event.
Katelyn Walker '14 posted Dartmouth's best time in the event with a time of 9:55.85.
Sprinter Connor Reilly '13 finished in second place in the 60-meter run, despite virtually tying for first place with an IC4A-qualifying time of 6.93 seconds.
Harwick said he has high expectations for Reilly this weekend, especially after he ran a personal-best time of 6.88 seconds at the Dartmouth Relays earlier this season. His time is one of the fastest in the Ivy League this season.
Jalil Bishop '14 also qualified for the IC4A Championships with a time of 22.03 seconds in the 200-meter run. Although Harwick said that Bishop is still learning how to run in an indoor facility, he said he anticipates a successful weekend for the freshman sprinter after his "phenomenal" showing at the Terrier Classic.
Tanner said the team has received strong performances from a broad spectrum of runners so far this season.
"It's hard to pinpoint any one person since so many people on our team are doing so well right now," she said.
Tanner qualified for the ECAC Championships with a time of 1:14.27 in the 500-meter event at the Terrier Classic.
The Dartmouth Classic will begin at 12 p.m. on Saturday at Leverone Field House.
