Head coach Charles Ehrlich's Huskies were led by three returning All-Americans --- 1978 pommel horse champion Mike Burke, along with Kirk Mango and Mark Goodson --- and all three repeated the feat. The terrific trio paved the way for the most successful team in NIU men's gymnastics history, posting an 11-0-1 record in dual meets, qualifying a school-record seven Huskies for Nationals and boasting two national champions.
In breaking many school records during the unblemished season, NIU went 3-0-1 against nationally ranked teams, went 4-0 against the Big Ten and won the prestigious Husky Classic. The Huskies set school records for highest team total score (218.90 vs. Indiana State, Feb. 10, 1979), pommel horse (9.90 by Mike Burke vs. Houston Baptist, Ball State, Nov. 20, 1978; vs. Indiana State, Feb. 10, 1979; vs. Iowa, March 3, 1979), still rings (9.80 by Kirk Mango at NCAA Mideast Regional, March 24, 1979), horizontal bar (9.45 by Steve Phillips vs. Indiana State, Feb. 10, 1979) and all-around (54.45 by Breck Grigas vs. Ohio State, Feb. 24, 1979), and tied school mark for floor exercise (9.50 at Windy City Invitational, Nov. 18, 1978; vs. Arizona State, Jan. 10, 1979).
Following a fifth-place finish out of 14 teams at the Windy City Invitational to start the season, the Huskies quickly got on track with wins over Ball State and Houston Baptist. Three days after tying No. 4 Iowa State on the road, No. 10 NIU Defeated No. 7 Arizona State at home on Jan. 10, 1979 as the Huskies stood up to national competition during the regular season and moved into the No. 9 spot nationally. NIU kept riding the wave of momentum by claiming first place out of six teams at Houston Baptist's prestigious Husky Classic. The Huskies set a then-school record team total score with a 214.55 in a win over No. 5 Southern Illinois on Feb. 3, 1979. Seven days later, NIU smashed the team total score record with a 218.90, defeating No. 3 Indiana State at home on Feb. 10, 1979 to move up to a No. 8 national ranking. The Huskies even handled Division II's No. 1 team, Illinois-Chicago Circle, with a victory on Feb. 15, 1979. With a win over Illinois on Feb. 20, 1979, NIU improved to No. 7. With their next win, a road triumph over the Big Ten's best team, Ohio State, the Huskies established the program's best start to a season with an 8-0-1 record in dual meets. After beating Illinois State and Wisconsin, NIU finished its first undefeated dual-meet season (11-0-1) with a 218.40-202.35 victory at home over Iowa on March 4, 1979 and moved on as a team to the postseason.
