DeKALB, Ill. – After an abrupt end to the 2020 season, extended time out of the gym due to a global pandemic, an uncertain – though hugely successful academic – fall semester, and an almost unheard of two-week break prior to returning to training in January, the Northern Illinois University women's gymnastics team gets its 2021 season underway this weekend with a pair of meets on the road.
 
On Friday night, NIU will take on Southeast Missouri and Lindenwood at the Tennessee Collegiate Classic in Lebanon, Tennessee. The tri-meet gets underway at 7 p.m. (CT). Follow the NIU Gymnastics social media accounts on Instagram (@niugymnastics) and Twitter (@Niugymnastics) for scores and highlights.
 
Sunday, the Huskies open Mid-American Conference competition with a dual meet versus Western Michigan in Kalamazoo beginning at 2 p.m. (CT).
 
"I feel like we're very ready," said NIU head coach Sam Morreale, who begins his 10^th season at the helm of the program in 2021. "It's going to be good to get out there. We've been behind in our prep for most of the preseason but right now we're kind of hitting our stride. This weekend is more about a celebration of what we've done up to this point to get ready and about the choices the whole team has made in order to keep us going."
 
The team chose #oNlychasIngUs as its motto for the year and Morreale said that has been an appropriate mindset while dealing with all of the changes going on around them, including the inability to have an intrasquad meet in the Convocation Center, a lack of fans at meets, wearing masks and even the way the team travels and congratulates each other during a competition.
 
"We've been leaning on that motto a lot from the standpoint of, don't worry about the opponent, the fans, the differences," Morreale said. "The girls do a really good job each year of kind of hitting on what's needed with that rallying cry. Right now, we're ecstatic to be in a position where we get to start, we get to get out and compete and show what we've got."
 
What he has seen in practice is an experienced team with juniors and seniors leading the way.  Junior Tara Kofmehl (Mesa, Ariz./Red Mountain HS) is set to be an all-arounder in 2021 with fellow junior Morgan Hooper (Lincoln, Neb./St. Pius X HS) also contending for a spot in the line-up on all four events. Senior Mia Lord (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern HS) – a two-time All-MAC selection for her work on balance beam – has added floor exercise and vault, while senior Gabby Welch (Greenbrier, Tenn./Aaron Academy) is a returning starter on vault, bars and floor. Senior Zoie Schroeder (Champlin, Minn./Champlin Park HS) has developed into one of the squad's top vaulters with a balance beam routine that has the ability to score 9.9 and higher.
 
"We are a very experienced team in 2021," Morreale said.  "In terms of the competitive lineup, this is probably one of the most experienced groups we have fielded. Our freshmen and sophomores are contributing, but out of the gate, it's truly our juniors and seniors that are carrying us and that's encouraging."
 
Meanwhile another pair of juniors who have seen limited action in their first two seasons – Liana Roman (Meriden, Conn./Platt HS) and Kelsey Martz (Delphos, Ohio/Delphos St. John's HS) – are among the most improved gymnasts on the team with Roman in the mix on vault, floor and bars and Martz competing on bars and floor.
 
"Kelsey and Liana have made some serious strides from this summer, throughout the fall until now, so I'm super-excited to see them," Morreale said.
 
Morreale is also looking forward to the debut of freshman Kendall George (Westerville, Ohio/Westerville Central HS) who has earned the leadoff position on both balance beam and floor exercise as well as a spot on vault.
 
"As a freshman to be in that leadoff spot is a testament to the trust we have in her and also to her ability," Morreale said. "She's first because we really feel she can hit every day. She's a really hard worker and she's shown that when it matters most, she can turn it up a level."
 
Morreale expects balance beam to once again be a strength for his team. Led by Lord, the beam team returns four starters and several other gymnasts who were in the line-up at one time or another in 2020.  On uneven bars, sophomore Natalie Hamp (Ionia, Mich./Ionia HS) brings a routine that is must-see, according to her coach.
 
"Natalie Hamp has a bar routine that rivals any bar swinger we've had here," he said. "She not only can be all-conference, but she can get to regionals and even make noise nationally, because she's that good at what she does."
 
The Huskies will build on their vaults throughout the season with the initial focus on doing clean vaults before upping the difficulty, while floor exercise will be a work in progress that Morreale expects to continue to develop and improve throughout the year as that event has potentially been most affected by the breaks in training.
 
"This year has shown us the need to have that quality depth," Morreale said. "With the testing and the contact tracing, you never know so we feel good about the top of our line-up, but we also feel good about our depth."
 
NIU finished one point behind first-place Central Michigan in the 2021 MAC Preseason Poll and the Huskies remain the defending MAC Tournament Champions after the 2020 event was cancelled due to COVID-19.  In fact, just one point separated each of the first four teams in the poll as CMU (34 points), NIU (33), Western Michigan (32) and Kent State (31) were tightly grouped.  Eastern Michigan and Ball State (26 points) tied in the fifth-place spot.
 
Morreale expects the MAC, and every league meet, to be just as competitive.
 
"Based on the MAC Preseason Poll, it's pretty obvious that it's a really good, competitive conference," Morreale said. "The conference meets will test us every single time. We don't have a regular season champion this year, so we're still carrying defending the MAC tournament championship with us."
 
After postseason competition was cancelled last year, the Huskies are grateful for the opportunity to compete – no matter the protocols, the empty gyms or any other inconveniences.
 
"This team, and especially the upperclassmen who got shut out [of postseason] at the end of last year, they want this chance, this opportunity, to compete," Morreale said. "Thanks to the administration for the plan they put together and allowing us to keep moving through the preseason to get to this point."
 
NIU's first home meet will be Sunday, January 31 in the Convocation Center.  Due to COVID-19 restrictions, fans will not be permitted to attend. However, fans who want to show their support for NIU Gymnastics can be part of the "Huskie Howl" Fan Cutout Program. For $60, purchase a cutout and put a large-sized cardboard cutout of yourself, your family member or even your pet, in the stands at every home meet in 2021.  All proceeds benefit NIU student-athletes through the Huskie Athletic Fund and cutouts can be picked up at the end of the season. To join the "Huskie Howl" and get your fan cutout today, click here.    
 
-- NIU --