The women's gymnastics team's move into the Big 10 may provide a higher level of competition for the Lady Lions when it competes in the Big 10 Championships instead of the Atlantic 10 Championships, but the move will have no effect for the team in qualifying for NCAA Northeast Regional Championships.

"From what I know, I don't know how it (the Big 10) is run," Avener said. "I'm under the impression it is a little better than A-10 and Ohio does not always win it."

"It's quite a pressure cooker as it is," Ohio State women's gymnastics coach Larry Fox said of the Big 10 conference. "I think Penn State is just going to improve the Big 10 and add to the competition. I welcome them."

Michigan State's assistant coach Chuck Shibler, whose school came in third at the Big 10 conference, agreed.

"I think it's a plus for the conference," Shibler said. "Comparatively, the Big 10 is much more competitive than A-10; we've had a lot of challenging teams."

Penn State will not compete in the Big 10 Championships this season. Since the transition into the Big 10 is not complete, it is not known yet how the move will otherwise affect the team's schedule.

"Right now, it will probably really only have an effect on the championships," said Susan Delaney-Scheetz, Penn State assistant athletic director.

Other than allowing for more traveling time, so far the team has no plans to change anything when it switches into competing in the Big 10 Championship. Avener said she had not thought about any changes that may be made because she is focusing more on this season.

Penn State's greatest threat comes from the NCAA Northeast Regional Championships, which sends its winner to NCAAs. Penn State and Ohio State have alternated winning the title for the last six years.

The move will not affect Penn State's involvement in the NCAA Northeast regionals because teams qualify for the regionals by earning the highest averages in five meets and not by performances in the A-10 or Big 10 championships.

The qualifying averages are taken from two home meets, two away meets and one meet from either an away or home meet. If a team would score high at the Big 10 or A-10 championships, the score would be treated like an away meet score.

Big 10 teams Michigan State, Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa and Michigan all belong to the Central region.

In the past, Penn State has received little competition from A-10 teams. The Lady Lions have won the last seven A-10 Championship titles.

The Big 10, however, has no dominant team, although Ohio State is a strong contender. Last year, Minnesota won the eighth annual Big 10 Championship meet and Ohio State finished second. In the eight years the meet has been in existence, Ohio State leads with five wins, Minnesota won the last two years and Michigan has won once.

During the 1989 season, Penn State played only one A-10 team, West Virginia, in its regular season and won by more than 10 points (185.80-175.75). This season, Penn State plays no A-10 teams in the regular season and competes against two Big 10 teams, Ohio State and Michigan State.

"We meet Ohio State already," Avener said. "There are no requirements in the Big 10 that we have to meet all the teams in the Big 10 during the season."

Since Penn State would not have to meet all the Big 10 teams during the season, Penn State would probably still be able to schedule its meets against top teams in the country which are not in the Big 10.

Michigan State assistant coach Shibler said his team tries to balance its schedule between Big 10 teams and other competitive teams in the nation.

Big 10 assistant commissioner Phyllis L. Howlett would not speculate on the effects of the women's gymnastics team in the Big 10.

"I don't know what sports will be affiliated; I don't know if gymnastics will be affiliated," she said.

The move may just heat up the already intense rivalry between Penn State and Big 10 team Ohio State. Meeting the Lady Buckeyes twice in the 1990 regular season and usually vying for the NCAA Northeast Regional title with them, Penn State views Ohio State as its biggest rival.