At Penn State, they train as a team. In Colorado, they will compete as rivals.

On Feb. 4-5, gymnasts Mike Masucci, J.M. Michel, Tony Pansy and Joe Roemer will travel to Colarado Springs to compete in the USA Winter Nationals. This meet will determine which gymnasts will comprise the national team.

Masucci, the Lions' coaching assistant, was a member of last year's team. He will compete in the senior division against other gymnasts over the age of 18 for one of 14 spots. Last year, Masucci placed seventh. This year, he is competing under the confidence of last year's success.

"The best I could do is hit my routines," he said. "If I hit 12 routines for 12 routines, I feel that I will make the team."

Sophomore Pansy will be vying for a position on the same team. Due to the high level of competition that Pansy will face, Coach Randy Jepson rates Pansy as a long shot.

"He's pretty far back at this point," he said. "I think he has a shot possibly at the senior development team, but even that's quite a challenge."

Competition for both Lions will be tough because only the highest ranked gymnasts qualify for the meet.

"It's really intense competition," Masucci said. "It's just a matter of who hits their routines. That's who makes the team."

Lions' freshmen Michel and Roemer will each perform for one of seven places on the junior national team. Michel qualified for this competition last August in another national meet.

Michel, who is ranked sixth in the junior division, is training hard to prepare for the meet.

"I'm looking forward to it," he said. "I've had some tough work outs so far."

Winter Nationals will not be the first time that the gymnasts have competed against each other. When the scores are in and the results are announced the gymnasts will return to State College -- as friends.

"I've done that all my life," Masucci said. "I'm used to it."

Notes:

-- Penn State is ranked third in the nation behind No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Michigan. In the individual events, Penn State was No. 1 on the horizontal bar and No. 3 on the still rings.

-- Penn State had gymnasts ranked in the top five on the horizontal bar, the parallel bars and the still rings. Tom Ellefson is tied for second on high bar with a 9.8, while Jim Delaney tied for fourth with a 9.75. Mark Cooper and Ellefson tied for fifth on parallel bars with a 9.55. Dave Riordan tied for fourth on still rings with 9.7.