Since entering the Big Ten in 1992, Penn State women's gymnastics competed in more than 200 meets, boasted 10 conference individual champions and garnered 10 individual All-American nominations.

One achievement missing from that impressive résumé: a Big Ten Conference Championship.

"It would give us a great sense of accomplishment and pride, especially to do it at home in Rec Hall," Penn State senior Corissa Pirkl said.

The No. 12 Nittany Lions will look to capture the elusive crown when they serve as host to the 2007 Big Ten Women's Gymnastics Championships tomorrow night in

Rec Hall. Seven Big Ten teams will travel to State College for the meet.

Of those seven, six are currently ranked in the top 25 nationally, according to the GymInfo poll. With no shortage of talent and skill descending upon the Lions, this weekend is shaping up to be one of the closest Big Ten championship races in recent history.

The Lions come into the championship weekend sitting atop the Big Ten standings, above perennial favorite Michigan. In the last 15 seasons, the Wolverines have won 13 conference titles.

Earlier in the season, Penn State traveled to Ann Arbor and grabbed the upset over the then-No. 9 Wolverines. That victory gave the gymnasts confidence that recent championship history may not be destined to repeat itself.

"We know that they're not unbeatable and that we beat them without our best performance," Penn State freshman Brandi Personett said. "As long as we hit, I'm sure we can take them down again."

Aiding the cause, Penn State boasts two defending individual champions from last season in Pirkl and sophomore Katie Perret. Pirkl was champion on vault, and Perret took the crown on uneven bars.

Individual accomplishments, however, are the furthest from the gymnasts' minds. For them, doing something historic for their university would be much more satisfying.

"If I win again, I win," Perret said. "If I don't, I just want to get a big score to help the team. That's my focus."

With seven teams traveling to the meet, Rec Hall should be filled to capacity with family members and fans from all teams. The added noise could become a distraction, but Personett has faith that the home crowd will remind all others where they are.

"The only difference is that there will be more fans there from other teams," Personett said. "But when our crowd starts the 'We Are' chant, they just drown them out."

Taking down rival Michigan for the second time this season, as well as fending off six other teams, including defending Big Ten champions Minnesota, will be no easy task. But the Lions know a historic first Big Ten Championship hangs in the balance.

"Anyone going in ranked first is going to have the expectation on them to win," Pirkl said. "If we do what we do in the gym every week, go out and be confident, the championship will be there."