It’s still rather early in the season, but the perennial powers in the sport have already started to separate themselves.

1. Minnesota

The Gophers are ranked No. 18 by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross-Country Coaches Association and are the highest-ranked team in the Big Ten. Senior captain Luca Wieland was named national Athlete of the Week and the Big Ten Field Athlete of the Week for breaking Minnesota’s school record in the heptathlon.

2. Penn State

Penn State is ranked No. 20 by the coaches and is the second-highest ranked team in the Big Ten. Last indoor season, Penn State had four first-team All-Big Ten athletes, and all but one returns this season.

3. Ohio State

The Buckeyes are ranked No. 21 by the coaches. They are the third highest ranked squad in the Big Ten and the last team in the Big Ten ranked by the coaches’ group. Last indoor season, the Buckeyes had five first-team All-Big Ten athletes and three out of the five return for this season.

4. Nebraska

Nebraska won the 2016 Big Ten Indoor Track and Field Championship. The Huskers have returning juniors Landon Bartel and Kaiwan Culmer, who are Big Ten indoor champions in the high jump and triple jump. Bartel placed 14th at the NCAA indoors.

5. Michigan

Michigan finished fourth at the 2016 Big Ten indoor meet. Redshirt senior Steven Bastien will be back at it again this season. He is a three-time coaches’ first-team All-American and is the only person in Michigan’s history to be an All-American in the heptathlon and decathlon.

6. Wisconsin

Wisconsin has not seen a lot of action yet this indoor season. Last season, the Badgers finished second at the 2016 Big Ten indoors. Junior distance runner Morgan McDonald returns this season as a two-time All-American.

7. Illinois

The Illini defeated the Hawkeyes in the Border Battle on Jan. 7, 85-74. They carried that momentum into the Illini Classic on Jan. 14 and won with 180 team points. They were headed by the sprint and hurdle team, which won the 60-meter hurdles, 60-meters, and 200-meters.

8. Iowa

The Hawkeyes’ only Big Ten competition this season has been against Illinois in the Border Battle, which they lost. The Hawkeyes bounced back at the Hawkeye Invitational with big performances by All-American senior Aaron Mallett and junior O’Shea Wilson.

9. Indiana

The Hoosiers defeated Purdue in their dual meet Jan. 14 in dominant fashion, 93-41. The Hoosiers dominated in the distance events, sweeping the mile and 3,000-meter runs. Junior Daniel Kuhn won the 600 meters with a time of 1:16.11. Kuhn’s time is the fastest nationally so far this season.

10. Purdue

The Boilermakers lost in spectacular fashion to Indiana. Sophomore Malcolm Dotson won both the 60 meters and 200 meters and is undefeated in both events this season. Redshirt sophomore Kinard Rolle also had a good performance, winning the 400 meters.

11. Maryland

Maryland competed in the Nittany Lion Challenge Jan. 14 and won four events. One of the winners was junior Alex Leto, who won the 400 meters with a time of 48.48, a personal best.

12. Rutgers

The Scarlet Knights have one returning first-team All-Big Ten indoor athlete, and he is off to a fast start. Sophomore Izaiah Brown broke the school record for the 300 meters with a time of 33.12 at the Beantown Challenge.

13. Michigan State

The Spartans competed in the Simmons-Harvey Invitational on Jan. 14 and placed first in five events.