When gymnast Ryan McEwen wore his Nebraska hat during Penn State practices last year, his former teammates teased him.

"I used to wear my Nebraska hat in the gym during practice and they would rip it off my head and rub chalk on it," he said.

Still, McEwen will likely cheer for the Cornhuskers at 8 p.m. today in Rec Hall when he and No. 5 Nebraska (1-0) take on No. 4 Penn State (0-0).

Swapping his blue and white for scarlet and creme, McEwen decided to return to his hometown of Lincoln, Neb., because he missed his family and friends.

"I had a tremendous experience at Penn State, but it's nothing like coming home," the junior said.

McEwen said he began thinking about leaving Penn State during his third semester, when he was redshirting due to a shoulder injury. He said he was honest and upfront with Lion Coach Randy Jepson concerning the possibility of returning to Nebraska.

"I didn't feel right keeping anything from Randy," he said. "The main reason that I came to Penn State was Coach Jepson. I admired him and really looked up to him."

Jepson, who immediately released McEwen to Nebraska, had few reservations about keeping McEwen at Penn State.

"It weighed on (McEwen's) mind a lot," Jepson said. "We weren't going to prevent him from doing something that would make him happy. I would have released Ryan anywhere he wanted to go."

Nebraska Coach Francis Allen did not know McEwen was transferring until after he had been released. Despite the fact that McEwen was headed to the defending national championship gymnastics team, his athletic career was secondary in his decision to transfer.

"I didn't know if I was going to continue with gymnastics," he said. "The thought occurred to me that I would be done competing."

But McEwen eventually decided to pursue gymnastics, despite the challenges he would face trying to walk on to last season's No. 1 squad.

"(Francis) wasn't going to give me anything just because I had been a gymnast at Penn State," he said. "I worked really hard to get to where I am on the team."

But competing is not always an option for transfer athletes. According to NCAA transfer regulations, an athlete must complete one full academic year of residence before attaining eligibility.

But McEwen fits under the one-time transfer rule, according to NCAA Legislative Associate Steve Mallonee.

"If an athlete's first transfer is from one four-year institution to another four-year institution and they left the first school in good academic standing, they can obtain permission from the first school to compete," Mallonee said.

Allen and the Cornhusker squad are benefiting from the exception to the residency rule because of McEwen's contribution to the program.

"Ryan fits our needs very well," Allen said. "His strengths are on pommel horse and vault. Anyone who scores a 9.45, as he did against Oklahoma last weekend, on horse is an asset to your program."

While McEwen wants to do well, he is not out for blood. His friendship with his former teammates prevents him from developing a vicious rivalry.

"Even just two years of friendship cannot be broken," he said. "I'm proud to have returned to Nebraska, but I'll have even more pride when I return to Penn State."

But any glimmer of Penn State pride did not keep McEwen from celebrating the Cornhuskers' national football championship.

"Honestly, I think it's sad that we couldn't share it with Penn State," he said. "But I was definitely rooting for Nebraska."