Right now, the Penn State men's gymnastics team is right where it wants to be, when the first week of April comes to a close.

The Nittany Lions have surged from No. 5 to the top of the national rankings after opening the season with two impressive performances against Army and Illinois.

The most notable display of gymnastics thus far by the Lions was undoubtedly against the No. 3-ranked Fighting Illini last weekend at Rec Hall.

After the first event, the Lions pounced on the talent-laden Illinois squad and never looked back, on their way to a 219.150 to 212.775 score against the Illini.

However, effortless is quite the contradictory term to describe the Penn State gymnasts on any given day. And talk about the nation's No. 1 ranking -- well, there is no talk of it around Happy Valley.

"[The No. 1 ranking] is there, but we disregard it because it means absolutely nothing," senior standout Kevin Tan said. "What matters is when you raise your hand at NCAAs."

The overall goal of this Lions team is to win its second NCAA championship of the decade -- not to receive the publicity of a No. 1 team in just the third week of the season.

And that elusive championship is something the Lions will continue to progress toward as the team travels to Ann Arbor, Mich., to face the No. 4 Wolverines at 7 tonight at Cliff Keen Arena.

Michigan is coming into this week's meet after a narrow 211.375-211.300 defeat at the hands of No. 6 Stanford.

-- By Chad Reott