"If there's one meet that you don't want to miss, it's Tuesday night [at Rec Hall], no doubt about it," Penn State men's gymnastics coach Randy Jepson said.

Why would Coach Jepson showcase this event over all others?

Maybe it's because the Nittany Lions are hosting a team from Japan, the country that just happens to be the defending Olympic team gold medallists.

Or perhaps the reason is that an international team has not traveled to Rec Hall since Gorbachev ruled the Eastern Bloc.

Or he could possibly want the sheer experience of a meet like this for his athletes, one that he calls, "a wonderful experience, one that they will hopefully remember for the rest of their lives."

That meet, between the Penn State men's gymnastics team and the Japanese college all-stars will happen at 7 tonight in Rec Hall.

The team from Japan will consist of the top college All-Stars in the country, men not necessarily from the gold medal-winning team, but who have proven themselves as legitimate contenders for future Olympic teams.

The last time Japan visited Happy Valley was 1972, bringing with them gymnastics legends such as Mitsuo Tsukahara. Their next stop was the Munich Olympics, where they helped Japan win its fourth consecutive team gold medal.

This time, competitors like Yusuke Kojima and Ryosuke Baba represent the future of gymnastics for a country rich in the sport's history.

"The nice thing about this meet is that it's coming off the heels of an Olympic championship by Japan ... we're talking about guys who may be on the Olympic team someday," Jepson said.

"So it's going to be a great contest," he added enthusiastically.

Although it will face some of the brightest gymnasts in the world, Jepson's team will not be overmatched from the start. Four of his athletes -- Santiago Lopez, Tommy Ramos, Jerker Taudien and Luis Vargas -- have been to the World Championships, and Vargas finished 15th in the individual all-around at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

"They've gone face-to-face with the best in the world, so for them, there won't be any surprises," Jepson said.

However, most members of the team, especially the seniors on the squad, will be going down a different career path after the sun sets on their collegiate careers.

"For most of these guys, they will never get the opportunity to face an international team and compete in an international setting," Jepson said. "So it's a wonderful opportunity."

Jepson knows firsthand about the once-in-a-lifetime chance this event presents for his team. The Soviet Union's trek to Penn State in 1982 was the last time an international team ventured into Rec Hall. As a competitor for the 1982 Lions squad, Jepson remembers the occasion quite well.

"There were few opportunities [at the time] for people in the West to see competitors from Communist countries, and ... it's the height of the Cold War," Jepson said. "And [our team] was outstanding."

"For me, it was really the highlight of my competitive career," he said.

And now, he only hopes that the Lions will relish their experience as much as he savored his.

"For many of them, it'll be their last competitive effort as a team in Rec Hall," Jepson said. "[They're] generally curious and excited to see what kind of gymnastics those guys are bringing in college over there, how we will measure up."

Opportunity will work both ways at this meet. The Japanese athletes will be able to glean a taste of American culture while they are here. Also, the teams trained and participated in a banquet together yesterday.

At the meet, cultures will weave together with Japanese sand-and-stone garden décor, music, and broadcasters, as well as a gift exchange to take place.

"For the Japanese, as much as it is a competitive event, it's an opportunity to see the United States and get a taste of our culture ... so all the way around, [it's] a great meet," Jepson said.

Even though Penn State has never beaten an international team, Jepson believes that is secondary to an event that could transcend gymnastics and sports.

"Even more so than the win-loss, it's the experience that I think everyone will walk away with, from both perspectives, Japan and Penn State."