Taking to the road for the first time this year, the NIU gymnastic teams will face a challenge when they take part in the University of Illinois Quadrangular at 7 p.m. today.

The Huskies will go up against a University of Auburn squad that is ranked 13th in the nation and is coming off a 195.35 score in the Michigan State invite. NIU also will face the University of Illinois who scored below the 191.675 mark NIU put up in its first meet of the new season.

Fellow MAC competitor Ball State also will be in Champaign, hoping to show that last year’s MAC Championship was no fluke. In their two meets this season, they put up scores of 190.125 and 192.825, just about the same level as the Huskies.

“We’re going against some tougher teams,” senior Anna Gardina said. “We’re going against three other teams instead of two, so it will be more of a challenge because there is a lot more going on. You really just need to focus on your team and not look around.”

Even though the Huskies produced their best opening score ever last Sunday, coach Mark Sontag said his team could have put up a score around 194 if it weren’t for the four falls NIU suffered.

“We’ll see if this team can adjust, and that will determine how good this team is at this point,” Sontag said. “If this group hits everything we can hit, I think our chances are as good as everybody else in the competition.”

Last year, an inexperienced Huskie team struggled on the road, but with six upperclassmen and a seasoned group of sophomores, this year should be a different story.

“I feel much more confident,” Gardina said. “We just have a much better lineup this year with a lot more depth, and I think it will go real good.”

While it is still early in the season, this meet should play an important role in determining where the Huskies stand. In the MAC Preseason Poll, the Huskies were picked to finish last out of seven teams. In order to prove their doubters wrong, they will need a strong showing downstate.

“It’s going to be our first away meet, and it’s always tougher to compete on the road because of the strange equipment and unfamiliar surroundings,” Sontag said. “It’s just much more challenging than being at home where you can get a good night sleep, and you pretty much know what the equipment is like.”