How does one follow up a perfect season, a Big Ten Championship, and having a member of your team earn an NCAA individual title?

Well, if you are the No. 5 Penn State Men's Gymnastics team, you aim to earn all of the above once again, complete with an NCAA team crown.

On Saturday, January 10, the Nittany Lions will take their first steps towards this ultimate goal when they face the No. 13 Army Black Knights at West Point. Last season, the Lions defeated the Black Knights twice, with the second win coming at home in Rec Hall by the score of 221.525-210.575. However, while the Lions handily defeated the Knights in 2003, and are once again ranked above Army, there are some crucial changes in the Lion lineup for this new season that may play a factor.

With the graduation of standouts Matt Abboud, Kevin Donohue and Jose Palacios, the Lions will count on seniors Zach Roeder, Kevin Tan and Duke Van Vleet, along with sophomore Luis Vargas to shine. Van Vleet will be making his first appearance in a Lion uniform in over a year, after being forced to redshirt last season with a torn right pectoral muscle.

Indeed, injuries will once again factor into how strong the Lions can be, with some recovering from recent ailments.

"I spent almost all of the off-season doing rehab and getting back into shape due to an injury I suffered a year ago," Van Vleet said. "I basically worked on getting back to the level of gymnastics I was at before the injury and have worked on new skills to put me above that level."

Aside from dreams of a national championship, the Lions will be motivated by one other key factor-pride.

"Everyone is ready for this upcoming season," sophomore Chad Buczek said. "We were ranked so low in the coaches poll and can't wait to go out there and show the coaches up. We all laughed at how we were ranked and I know it has pushed us to work harder."