DeKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University women's gymnastics team opens its 2021 home meet season Sunday at 2 p.m. when the Huskies play host to Mid-American Conference foe Bowling Green in the NIU Convocation Center.
 
The meet will be streamed online via Huskie All-Access on NIUHuskies.com. Subscriptions are available for purchase on a daily, monthly or annual basis and provides access to all home NIU Athletics events streamed on the website for the purchase period. To purchase a subscription, click here.  Live scoring for the meet is available here or download the free NIU Huskies mobile app with links to All-Access, live scoring and more.
 
Last Sunday, the Huskies claimed a 194.250-193.775 win at Western Michigan to open their MAC schedule with solid performances across all four events, led by the beam team, which posted NIU's highest event scores in both meets in the opening weekend.
 
"We had a little bit of a rough start at Tennessee," Morreale said. "It was a little bit uncharacteristic of us, but I was super proud of the way we bounced back at Western Michigan.  Starting the season with a double weekend is difficult, we did a good job of coming through it and performing very well on Sunday."
 
NIU bars specialist Natalie Hamp (Ionia, Mich./Ionia HS) claimed wins on the event in both meets last weekend with matching scores of 9.825, while senior Zoie Schroeder (Champlin, Minn./Champlin Park HS) posted the Huskies' highest score of the season to date with a 9.850 to win balance beam at WMU.  All-arounder Tara Kofmehl (Mesa, Ariz./Red Mountain HS) scored a career best 38.875 on Sunday in Kalamazoo.
 
A pair of freshmen – Kendall George (Westerville, Ohio/Westerville Central HS) and Olivia Lynd (West Chester, Ohio/Ursuline Academy) – made their Huskie debuts, with George in the line-up on vault, beam and floor exercise for both meets and Lynd on beam at Western Michigan. Fellow rookie Grace Humphrys (Cocoa, Fla./Space Coast HS) competed exhibition on both vault and floor during the weekend.
 
Sunday's meet is the first of four home meets for NIU this season, although the Huskies will not be back in action at the Convocation Center until February 19 after Sunday's meet.  
 
"It's always great to compete at home," Morreale said. "The Convo is a great venue. We're going to miss the fans, but for us it's just focus on us and do the best we can. This year, we are taking it one day at a time and we're just trying to truly enjoy each opportunity we have to get out there and compete."
 
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, fans will not be permitted to attend Sunday's home meet. 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 February 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.
 
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