DeKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University women's gymnastics team will open its 2021 season on Friday, January 22 at the Tennessee Collegiate Classic in Lebanon, Tennessee, highlighting a 2021 schedule that includes 10 competitions prior to the Mid-American Conference Championship on March 20.
 
After seeing the 2020 season cut short and the MAC Championships cancelled due to COVID-19, head coach Sam Morreale and his team are thankful for the opportunity to get the season started.
 
"We're excited about getting the season started after a bittersweet ending to last year," said Morreale, who begins his 10th season as NIU head coach in 2021. "It was a crazy summer and we've been a little behind most of the preseason (in our training) so the later start works for us. I can't thank our team enough for jumping through all the hoops they have to get to this point. We feel good about the protocols that the school and the department have put in place to allow us to practice and compete. We're very hopeful about this season and super-thankful for the opportunities."
 
Following the Tennessee Collegiate Classic, a quad meet that includes Centenary, Lindenwood and SEMO in addition to NIU, the Huskies open MAC competition at Western Michigan in Kalamazoo on Sunday, January 24.  One week later, NIU plays host to Bowling Green on January 31 in the NIU Convocation Center in the first of four home meets in 2021.  Unfortunately, due to continuing COVID-19 restrictions, fans will not be allowed at this time.
 
While fans will not be allowed in the stands, they can make their presence felt as the Huskie Fan Cutout program will be extended to gymnastics for the 2021 season.  Fans can join the Huskie Howl, presented by FNBO and support NIU gymnastics student-athletes by purchasing a Fan Cutout that will be placed in the arena for all 2021 NIU Gymnastics meets and available for pick-up following the season. To order your Fan Cutout for NIU Gymnastics today for just $60 for the entire season, click here. In order to be virtually "in the stands" for the first meet on January 31, orders must be received by January 20. (Site will be updated with gymnastics-specific information soon.) 
 
The MAC slate continues with dual meets at Central Michigan (February 11) and Ball State (February 14), before NIU returns home to take on Eastern Michigan (February 19) and Kent State (February 27).
 
"MAC gymnastics has definitely improved," Morreale said. "Every MAC meet is a good gauge of where we stand. Our mentality is, we're the defending tournament champs [based on the Huskies' 2019 win in the MAC Championship meet] and this team is hungry. They want to do well and take it to the next level."
 
The Huskies' final home competition is a tri-meet with Illinois State and Iowa State on Friday, March 5 before taking on each of those teams in dual meets on the road on March 7 (Illinois State) and March 12 (Iowa State) respectively. 
 
"We have a good number of competitions between the MAC and the non-conference meets, including several meets with Iowa State," Morreale said. "The schedule gives us flexibility.  We're taking a mindset of going meet-by-meet. Sometimes that's coach-speak but this year, it's truly how we're approaching everything."  
 
The MAC Championships will be held on Saturday, March 20 at Western Michigan, with the NCAA Regionals set for April 2-4.
 
-- NIU --