DeKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University women's gymnastics team will hold its annual Red-Black Meet Friday night, November 15, at 6 p.m. in the NIU Convocation Center's Victor E. Court.  Fans are invited to get their first look at the 2019 NIU Gymnastics team at the scored event. Like all Huskie Gymnastics meets, admission is free.
 
Eighth-year NIU head coach Sam Morreale has divided his squad in half for the meet, which provides the team with its first competitive experience of the year.
 
"They do get into the competitive spirit a lot, and both teams want to win," Morreale said. "I tried to make the teams even so there is talent on both sides. For the team it's about the competition but for the coaches, after the meet, we'll take everyone who competed on both sides and look at those as if it is one team. If nothing else, coming out of this event, we'll have some ideas of our lineups on the four events."
 
With the gymnasts competing full routines in front of judges for the first time in the competition venue in front of a crowd, Morreale is looking forward to seeing what his gymnasts – both returning and new – can do.
 
"This is our biggest step to date in terms of our preseason," Morreale said. "This is our next big step with actual full routines in our competition venue with judges. It's open to the public so we want to have a big crowd and I'm excited to have people see the work the team has put in throughout the fall."
 
NIU opens its 2019 season on January 4 at a quad meet at Alabama, with its first official home competition on Friday, Jan. 18 at 6 p.m. in the Convocation Center.  
 
-- NIU --