By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

The 55th NCAA Division 1 Men's Indoor Track and Field Championships are scheduled for Friday and Saturday at the CrossPlex in Birmingham, Ala.

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Here are 10 storylines to follow as the meet returns to Birmingham for the first time since 2016:

The Grant Holloway highlight reel

The amount of ways Florida junior Grant Holloway could grab headlines this weekend at the CrossPlex are numerous, however at the top of the list is his pursuit to become the first hurdler in NCAA Division 1 men’s indoor history to not only to win three titles, but to capture three in a row.

Holloway, the collegiate indoor record holder in the 60-meter hurdles at 7.42 seconds, boasts the top three all-time collegiate performances and eight times has run under 7.50 in his career.

His biggest challenge is expected from Kentucky junior Daniel Roberts, who elevated to the No. 4 all-time performer Feb. 23 at the Southeastern Conference Championships by clocking 7.48.

Holloway is also the top qualifier in the 60-meter dash, giving him the opportunity to become the first male athlete since South Carolina’s Terrence Trammell in 2000 to sweep both the 60-meter dash title and 60-meter hurdles crown in the same year.

Holloway ascended to the No. 9 all-time indoor performer Jan. 26 by clocking 6.51 at the Razorback Invitational.

Six other athletes have run under 6.60 this season, highlighted by Texas Tech junior Divine Oduduru and North Carolina State junior Cravont Charleston both at 6.54.

Holloway is also entered in the long jump and 4x400 relay, giving him a chance to contend for four championships, something no male athlete has achieved at the Division 1 indoor finals.

Oregon’s Edward Cheserek was the last male athlete to win three national titles in the same year in 2016, capturing the 3,000 and 5,000 crowns, along with running on the victorious distance medley relay. Another former Oregon standout, Galen Rupp, won the same three events in 2009.

Holloway won the 60 hurdles and placed second in the long jump and 4x400 relay last year to help Florida capture its first team title since 2012.

King of the North looks to rule the South

North Dakota State fifth-year senior Payton Otterdahl enters his first career indoor championship meet with the top qualifying marks in the shot put and the weight throw, looking to become the first male athlete to sweep both national titles in the same year since Ohio State’s Dan Taylor in 2004.

Otterdahl set the collegiate indoor shot put record Feb. 23 with a mark of 71-6.75 (21.81m) at the Summit League Championships. He is also the only indoor shot putter in history with two marks of at least 71 feet.

Otterdahl also enters as the No. 5 all-time collegiate indoor performer in the weight throw with a Feb. 8 effort of 78-11.25 (24.06m) at the South Dakota State Indoor Classic.

Arizona sophomore Jordan Geist, the No. 9 all-time indoor performer in the shot put, boasts a top indoor mark of 70-4.50 (21.45m). Georgia senior Denzel Comenentia, the reigning Division 1 outdoor shot put champion, is also entered.

A trio of seniors are expected to challenge Otterdahl in the weight throw, along with Kansas junior Gleb Dudarev at 76-5 (23.29m). Michigan’s Joseph Ellis has thrown 77-3.75 (23.56m), with Comenentia at 77-2 (23.52m) and Florida’s AJ McFarland at 76-7.25 (23.35m).

A victory in either event for Otterdahl would be the first national indoor title for North Dakota State.

Setting the record straight

The men’s 4x400-meter relay final last year produced the collegiate record of 3:00.77 by USC and the world record of 3:01.39 by Texas A&M.

The reason USC doesn’t own both marks is because Rai Benjamin had his eligibility to represent the United States frozen during his transfer process with the IAAF, thus resulting in the Trojans not having all four members of the relay technically recognized as competing for the same country at the time of last year’s race.

Benjamin has since been granted the opportunity to compete for the U.S., but the IAAF won’t retroactively award USC the global standard, thus resulting in Texas A&M entering the championship with the world record.

All that discussion might be history Saturday if Houston or Texas A&M can put together a memorable performance that could be good enough for both the collegiate and world records.

With every member of both relay lineups representing the U.S., both schools are eligible for world-record consideration. Houston enters with the top qualifying mark of 3:01.51, followed closely by Texas A&M at 3:01.56.

Expect the race to come down to the anchor-leg efforts of Kahmari Montgomery for Houston, the reigning USATF Outdoor 400 champion, and Texas A&M junior Devin Dixon, who boasts the fastest indoor relay split in history at 44.24 seconds.

Dynamic distance crew drives Wisconsin’s championship hopes

Wisconsin hasn’t won a men’s indoor national championship since 2007 and the Badgers will rely heavily on a talented distance corps in their attempt to hold off Texas Tech, Florida, Georgia and LSU to capture the title.

Wisconsin boasts the top qualifier in the mile in junior Oliver Hoare (3:54.83), who is also entered in the 3,000.

Morgan McDonald is the No. 2 qualifier in the 3,000 (7:42.76), looking forward to a rematch with Stanford’s Grant Fisher (7:42.62) after their thrilling battle Feb. 9 at the NYRR Millrose Games.

McDonald is also entered Friday in the 5,000, but he is only the No. 6 qualifier, although he boasts the fastest outdoor time in the event of any athlete in the field at 13:15.83.

Wisconsin is also expected to challenge for the title in the distance medley relay, giving the Badgers another strong scoring opportunity, since heptathletes Trent Nytes and Zachary Lorbeck would both need to improve significantly in order to contribute points to the team’s championship pursuit.

Not since UTEP’s run of seven national crowns from 1974-82 or Arkansas’ dynasty of 16 championships from 1984-2000 has a program relied so much on its distance athletes to carry its title hopes as Wisconsin will this weekend.

Pole vault prestige

Although LSU freshman Armand “Mondo” Duplantis already eclipsed the collegiate indoor pole vault record Feb. 22 by clearing 19-5 (5.92m), even the Swedish star knows his path to a national title Friday won’t be an easy one.

In addition to the past two Division 1 indoor champions in Chris Nilsen of South Dakota and Hussain Al Hizam of Kansas, the field also includes 2017 national outdoor winner Matthew Ludwig of Akron. Nilsen is also the reigning outdoor champion.

Ludwig is the No. 4 all-time indoor collegiate performer at 19-1.50 (5.83m), with Nilsen ranked No. 7 at 19-0.25 (5.80m). Al Hizam won the indoor title last year with a clearance of 18-8.25 (5.70m).

By capturing a national championship as a freshman, Duplantis is looking to equal the achievements of Nilsen in 2017 and reigning USATF Indoor champion Andrew Irwin, who won the Division 1 title in his first year at Arkansas in 2012.

Ludwig is looking to become Akron’s first champion since former collegiate indoor record holder Shawn Barber, who captured indoor titles in 2014-15.

Duplantis, who also has his sights set on the all-time best collegiate clearance of 19-7.50 (5.98m) set outdoors by Tennessee’s Lawrence Johnson in 1996, is attempting to win the first indoor pole vault crown for LSU since Russ Butler in 2000.

Oduduru’s onslaught on one-lap history

Texas Tech junior Divine Oduduru served notice Feb. 23 at the Big 12 Championships that he is a legitimate threat to collegiate indoor 200-meter record of 20.02 seconds set at last year’s final by Houston’s Elijah Hall, the No. 2 all-time performer in the world.

Oduduru ran 20.08 on his home track, which was adjusted to 20.15 with the altitude conversion, to elevate to the No. 2 indoor performer in collegiate history and No. 3 all-time in the world.

Only four male athletes have run under 20.20 in the Division 1 indoor final, including three individuals in the past four years. Oduduru boasts three of the top seven collegiate indoor performances in history, including his runner-up effort of 20.21 last season.

Namibia’s Frank Fredericks boasts the world indoor record, clocking 19.92 in 1996.

Oduduru and Texas Tech senior Andrew Hudson could become the first teammates in Division 1 indoor history to sweep the top two spots in the men’s 200 final, which could be a significant boost for the Red Raiders in pursuit of their first team championship.

Talented Texas A&M juniors in title hunt

Texas A&M has won 22 men’s indoor national titles, including relays, but two events the Aggies have not won are the 800 meters and triple jump.

Those droughts could end Saturday with Devin Dixon in the 800 and fellow junior Tahar Triki in the triple jump.

Dixon elevated to the No. 3 all-time indoor collegiate performer Jan. 26 by clocking 1:45.27 at the Texas Tech Classic, a mark that gets adjusted to 1:44.97 with the altitude conversion.

The collegiate indoor record of 1:44.84 set by Virginia’s Paul Ereng has stood since 1989.

Only five athletes have even run under 1:46 in the finals, with UTEP’s Michael Saruni (1:45.15) doing so last year to become the first individual to achieve the feat since 2001.

Mississippi State sophomore Marco Arop is the only other 800 qualifier to run under 1:46 this season, clocking 1:45.90 on Feb. 9 at the Clemson Tiger Paw Invitational.

Triki ascended to the No. 11 all-time indoor collegiate performer in the triple jump Feb. 23 with his mark of 56-2 (17.12m) at the Southeastern Conference Championships.

There hasn’t been a 17-meter effort in the finals since Florida’s Marquis Dendy won the 2015 title with a 57-foot performance (17.37m). Triki won the Division 1 outdoor championship with a leap of 55-1 (16.79m).

Virginia’s Jordan Scott, Texas Christian’s Chengetayi Mapaya and Southern Mississippi’s John Warren are all expected to challenge Triki, but the biggest threat could come from reigning indoor champion O’Brien Wasome of Texas, who won the title last year with a leap of 55-2.25 (16.82m).

Lone Star state tries to deny rising star

The men’s 400 features a clash of elite talents from Texas and South Carolina, a battle of established powers against a promising new talent at the Division 1 level.

Houston seniors Kahmari Montgomery and Obi Igbokwe, along with Baylor senior Wil London III will square off against South Carolina junior Quincy Hall, with the winner likely having to become only the seventh male athlete in collegiate indoor history to run under 45 seconds.

Montgomery elevated to the No. 9 all-time indoor performer Feb. 23 by clocking 45.04 at the Big 12 Championships. London enters with a mark of 45.30 and Igbokwe with an effort of 45.35.

Hall prevailed Feb. 23 at the Southeastern Conference finals in 45.69, but hasn’t been seriously challenged this season.

A pair of darkhorses, representing each state, are Texas freshman Jonathan Jones and South Carolina State senior Tyrell Richard. Virginia Tech freshman Jacory Patterson is also a potential sleeper, having run 20.84 in the 200, 32.49 in the 300 and 46.04 in the 400, the latter winning the Atlantic Coast Conference title.

Baylor has won 400 national indoor titles in 1992, 1995, 2000 and 2004, with Houston capturing a championship in 2013, along with a 440-yard crown in 1982.

Former champions primed for dynamic DMR

Notre Dame, Wisconsin and Ole Miss have all captured national indoor titles in the distance medley relay and are again in contention to add another chapter to their impressive traditions Friday.

Notre Dame and Wisconsin produced the fastest two times in collegiate indoor history on an oversized flat track Feb. 16 when they clocked 9:26.10 and 9:26.24 at the Alex Wilson Invitational.

Ole Miss, the 2017 winner, is also capable of securing another championship, along with Indiana, which elevated to the No. 6 all-time indoor program by running 9:27.30 on a standard banked track Jan. 25 at the Indiana University Relays.

Wisconsin last won a DMR title in 1985, with Notre Dame last securing a crown in 2012. Indiana is seeking its first championship.

Stanford, with Grant Fisher as its scheduled anchor, could be a potential threat, as could Texas with Sam Worley listed to run its final leg. Stanford last won a title in 2014 and Texas’ last crown came in 2008.

The search for 6,000 points for the next star heptathlete

For the past seven years and 11 of the 15 seasons since the event was added to the championship schedule for the first time in 2004, the winner of the men’s indoor heptathlon surpassed the 6,000-point barrier.

Not only are Georgia sophomore Johannes Erm, Stanford senior Harrison Williams, Texas-San Antonio freshman Gary Haasbroek and Arkansas senior Gabe Moore looking to reach that elite level this weekend, but also capture a first indoor national championship.

Erm is the top returning finisher, placing fourth last year, with Moore taking sixth. Williams placed fourth in 2016 and sixth in 2017, with Moore finishing 12th two years ago.

Erm, the top qualifier with 5,996 points, is looking to become Georgia’s second champion in three years, following Devon Williams in 2017. Moore is attempting to become Arkansas’ first winner since Kevin Lazas in 2013.