It's déjà vu for the Penn State men's gymnastics team.

Last season, senior Jose Palacios redshirted the year after sustaining an ankle injury during a competition in January 2002.

This year, senior Duke Van Vleet is in the same situation.

During an intrasquad competition earlier this season, Van Vleet was performing on the rings when he heard a pop and then experienced sharp pain in his right arm. After jumping down from the rings, Van Vleet realized that something was seriously wrong when he could not move his arm.

Later, he was diagnosed with a 90 percent tear of his right pectoral muscle and doctors told Van Vleet that he would be out the remainder of the year with no possibility of him returning to competition this season.

With Van Vleet graduating this May, he thought his gymnastics career was over at Penn State before his senior season began.

"I just assumed that the possibility of redshirting wasn't there because I was going to graduate in May and I didn't really have any plans to do gymnastics next year," Van Vleet said. "I just automatically assumed there was nothing left for me to do."

Even after Saturday night's convincing defeat of Michigan, men's gymnastics coach Randy Jepson said that Van Vleet was going to graduate in May.

But then on Monday, Van Vleet started to look into the possibility of coming back for a fifth year just like Palacios did this past season and Benas the year before.

"If they can do it, I know that I can," Van Vleet said. "It's not a matter of doing it better, but just the fact that you know it's possible and you can do a good job."

Van Vleet has been in the process of discussing the situation with Jepson, but no decision has been made yet. However, Van Vleet said it looks promising that he will be back for a fifth year.

"I still think that I have some gymnastics left in me and I would like to compete another year and go out competing rather than go out like this," Van Vleet said.

The ultimate decision of Van Vleet returning next year lies in the hands of Jepson, but he has the same feelings as Van Vleet does about the situation.

"Absolutely, I want Van Vleet back for a fifth year and I hope that he can get to the level that he was at before," Jepson said.

If Van Vleet returns next season, he said he might not do as many events as he had before, but still feels that he can help the team with his veteran leadership.

In the meantime, Van Vleet is rehabbing his injury twice a day and lifting weights to stay in shape while the rest of his teammates work out.

In addition to helping himself, Van Vleet hopes his presence on the sidelines has a positive impact on his team.

"As long as I am still on the team, I am going to support the guys," Van Vleet said. "The guys have been there to make me really feel that even though I'm hurt, and not on the floor with them at every meet that I'm still part of the squad."