In 1994 the Penn State's women's soccer team started its rather smooth transition from club team to the Big Ten.

In the first four years in the conference, the Nittany Lions lost seven games to Big Ten teams and finished second in the conference twice.

Since then, however, Penn State has lost only four regular season Big Ten games in six seasons and finished as conference champ each year.

Now ranked No. 5 in the country, Penn State (4-1) is attempting to go after its seventh consecutive conference title. What started as moderate success has now turned into a tradition of supremacy in the Big Ten.

"Every year it's more pressure," Penn State coach Paula Wilkins said. "Every team wants to dethrone you. I think it's more and more difficult, but it makes our team stronger at the end of the year."

The Big Ten has five teams currently among the top 25. It has never had more than three in the final rankings. With a stacked conference, Wilkins believes her team's early season tests have prepared it well.

"All those top teams are very good," Wilkins said. "Anybody can beat anybody in the Big Ten. I think Illinois is the strongest because they returned a big core of players and they'll have the most experience. I think all those teams have the ability to beat each other and us."

Wilkins considers 2004's version of the Big Ten the deepest talent level ever in the conference. Here is a look of what to expect on the road conference title number seven.

No. 11 Illinois (6-0)

The Fighting Illini are brimming with confidence after winning the Big Ten tournament last November. They beat No. 8 Kansas Wednesday, 1-0, and have outscored opponents 16-2 thus far.

For Illinois, it all starts in the net. The backbone of this team is senior goalkeeper Leisha Alcia.

She was a first-team All-American last season with the eighth-best goals against average (.54), and 12 shutouts. She also had six straight shutouts last season en route to being named Illinois' Dike Eddleman Female Athlete of the Year.

This season Alcia has already posted three shutouts and has given up only one goal.

The offense is led by second-team All-American Tara Hurless. The senior forward leads the team in goals (four) and points (10).

Illinois returns nine starters from last year's squad that finished 16-4-2, 7-1-2 in the Big Ten. Penn State holds an 11-1 all-time series record, and hosts Illinois on Oct. 8.

No. 16 Wisconsin (6-0)

Tonight's game against the Badgers will be a chance for Penn State to get retribution. Wisconsin ousted the Lions from the Big Ten tournament last year after three overtimes and a shootout.

Wisconsin coach Dean Duerst said in the off-season that Penn State was still the team to beat, but expects his team to be a more explosive one. Junior forward Amy Vermeulen has been the spark that Duerst was looking for. Currently Vermeulen leads the conference with eight goals. A medical redshirt last season, she has already scored more goals than last season's top scorer.

In goal is freshman Lynn Murray, who was named the Gatorade Player of the Year in Georgia. She has given up seven goals in her five starts this season.

No. 22 Ohio State (4-2)

The Buckeyes come into the 2004 season with the majority of last year's team still intact. After starting off 0-2 against No. 6 Portland and No. 3 Washington, they have won four straight.

Leading goal scorer Colleen Hoban is back along with fellow junior Danielle Dietrich, who currently leads the team with five goals. Freshman Lara Dickenmann has provided instant offense after being a part of the Switzerland Sursee National Team.

Ohio State will wrap up regular season Big Ten play for the Lions at home on Oct. 22.

No. 25 Michigan (3-2-1)

Michigan has struggled thus far against ranked opponents (0-2) and with scoring goals (11). Junior Therese Heaton has six of those goals, but only two other Wolverines have scored.

Sophomore goalkeeper Megan Tuura has a 1.44 goals against average and 28 saves.

She recorded her first shutout of the year last week and was named Big Ten defensive player of the week.

The Lions head to Ann Arbor Oct. 1, and hold an 8-3-4 series record.

The Rest

Last season Purdue was the only Big Ten team to beat the Lions, grabbing a 3-1 victory at Purdue. The Boilermakers finished third in the conference with a 6-2-2 record in the Big Ten, but lost six starters to graduation.

On the final weekend in September, Indiana and Purdue will get their first looks at the new Jeffrey Field. Penn State will also get Northwestern at home on Oct. 10. The Lions have only lost one Big Ten contest ever on Jeffrey Field.

Against Indiana, Iowa, Michigan State, Purdue, Minnesota and Northwestern, the Lions have a combined record of 49-8-1.