After an eight-month hiatus, the Penn State women's gymnastics team is back, looking to finally capture the Big Ten title.

Since joining the Big Ten in 1992, the team has finished in second place seven times, but it has yet to seize the title.

This year, however, the team is confident that it is strong enough to beat them and the other Big Ten teams.

"I think we are going to do really well. We've got great routines and a lot of experience," senior captain Meredith Hoover said. "I think we are going to be able to put everything together this year and do really well."

At the very least, the team wants to repeat the success of last year.

"We have high goals. We'd like to continue on the success that we had last year. We qualified for the national championships and we were second in the Big Ten. We would like to win the Big Ten and we would like to qualify again for the national championship," Penn State women's gymnastics coach Steve Shephard said.

The team has many additions that will help it achieve its goals, with two freshmen that are already proving to be assets to the team. One of these freshmen, Katie Perrett, has shown promise in the vault, uneven bars and balance beam.

Sophomore Lindsay Borkan is back after her injury last year, adding more depth to the team. She had season-ending surgery last year, after injuring her Achilles tendon in a meet against Ohio State.

Actions speak more than words, however, and the loss of two seniors might affect the outcome of the season.

Kate Stopper and Cecile Allen both graduated, leaving some big shoes to fill.

Stopper was strong on the balance beam and floor exercise and also a first-team All-Big Ten selection last year. The depth of the uneven bars is shaky this year with the loss of Allen.

Another loss for the team is Kristal Uzelac. She has left the team, and Penn State, deciding to retire from gymnastics.

Her strengths were in the uneven bars, the balance bars and the floor exercise. She was a member of the second-team All-Big Ten squad last year.

Gena Shingle is also out of competition this year, after having season-ending shoulder surgery.

As always, the consistency of the team will be what makes or breaks its season.

"It's going to come down to consistency and execution and being able to hit in the pressure zone," Shephard said.

The Lions have some tough competition this season, starting with a meet against both Arizona and Alabama on Saturday.

The last regular season matchup against Arizona was in 1998, when Penn State came out as the victor.

However, the team is not concentrated on Arizona or Alabama.

The team will have its first chance to show the Big Ten that it is a force to be reckoned with during a home meet against West Virginia, Cornell and Big Ten rival Michigan.

Other Big Ten matchups include Minnesota on Jan. 28 and Ohio State on Feb. 25.

Expectations run high for this weekend. Shephard, however, is confident in his team's ability to rise to the occasion.