DeKALB, Ill. – Basketball isn't the only sport where the intensity picks up in March as the Northern Illinois University women's gymnastics team starts the home stretch of its 2021 season Friday night in the first half of a double-meet weekend by welcoming Illinois State and Iowa State to a triangular meet at the NIU Convocation Center. 
 
The action gets underway at 6 p.m. and will be available to watch on Huskie All-Access (subscription) following the conclusion of the NIU-Akron volleyball match earlier that afternoon.
 
On Sunday, NIU travels south to Normal, Illinois for a Quad Meet versus the host Redbirds, Central Michigan and Lindenwood.  The multi-team meets mark the first such competitions for NIU since January 22 after six dual meets versus Mid-American Conference opponents.  The Huskies posted a 3-3 mark in MAC regular season meets after defeating Kent State, 194.825-194.775 last Saturday.
 
"Honestly, we feel good coming off the competition with Kent State," said NIU head coach Sam Morreale. "The pieces are in place, it's a matter of continuing to put it together when we get out there.  We're keeping it light, keeping it loose and just trying to enjoy it and take advantage of our opportunities. 
 
"This double weekend is coming at a good time and with a tri-meet and a quad meet, it will give us the opportunity to rotate through the events instead of in a dual meet format. On Sunday, we will start on floor which is our starting event at the MAC Championships."
 
The Huskies are still looking to surpass the 195-point threshold after back-to-back 194.825 scores in its last two outings. Morreale said the scores put up by a number of Huskies – putting them in position to contend for NCAA Regional individual consideration – shows the potential for the team to reach that mark and beyond.
 
All-arounder Tara Kofmehl (Mesa, Ariz./Red Mountain HS) ranks third in the MAC and sixth in the South Central Region, while both Natalie Hamp (Ionia, Mich./Ionia HS) and Brookelyn Sears (Centerville, Ohio/Centerville HS) are contenders on uneven parallel bars. Senior Mia Lord (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern HS) continues her excellence on balance beam and fellow senior Zoie Schroeder (Champlin, Minn./Champlin Park HS) has top scores on both vault and balance beam. Along with Kofmehl, Nicolette DiPrisco (Aberdeen, N.J./Red Bank Catholic) has been one  of the Huskies' best on floor exercise.
 
"We have a talented team and a lot of gymnasts that can still challenge for regionals individually, and we're still in it as far as the team's chances with four more meets (including the MAC Championships) still to go," Morreale said. "We feel confident and optimistic. We're prepared and ready to go."
 
Sunday's Quad Meet at Illinois State gets underway at 2 p.m. and can be viewed on ESPN+.
 
-- NIU --