CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Illinois men's gymnastics team will host the 2017 Big Ten Men's Gymnastics Championships at State Farm Center on Friday and Saturday, April 7-8. The fourth-ranked Fighting Illini will face off against No. 3 Ohio State, No. 5 Minnesota, No. 6 Nebraska, No. 7 Penn State, No. 8 Iowa and No. 9 Michigan. Competition for both nights is set for 7 p.m. CT.

"We had a big team talk on Monday and I just kind of opened up with 'what is team culture and why is it so important?' Matt Foster actually spoke up and said 'this is so important for me because it's my last year and I want to do something that we'll remember for the rest of our lives together,'" said head coach Justin Spring. "To be able to host that in front of my friends, family, and people we go to school with, that's what makes this special is having it be a part of everyone else's lives that we're so close with in college. I think that's why the home field advantage exists because you feel like it's your responsibility to defend this place for not just yourself but for this team, for this program, for the alum. The specialness of hosting intensifies the responsibility on the athletes but that's what makes it so much more special for them."

The Illini ended their regular season at home, falling to Ohio State, 416.850-415.350. The Orange and Blue squared off with Ohio State once before, defeating the Buckeyes at the Windy City Invitational, 412.150-403.450. Illinois has also previously faced Michigan three times, Iowa and Minnesota twice, and Penn State once. This weekend will be the first time this season the Illini have clashed with Nebraska. Illinois finished the regular season with an 8-2 Big Ten record, and an 11-4 mark overall.

"Someone asked me the other day, 'why is this one different than any other meet' and I was like, 'because this is the only one that really matters,'" Spring said. "All the dual meets were just a gear up really to be perfect for Friday night. I know that and the team knows it too. For some guys they have one routine to do and that's a lot of pressure. Your whole team has trained a whole year for this." 

SCOUTING THE BIG TEN

The Big Ten squads rank No. 3 through No. 9 in the country in both the CGA Coaches Poll and using the four-score average. Ohio State leads the group at No. 3. Minnesota has posted the highest team score in the Big Ten on the year, with a 426.950 at Nebraska on March 25. Nebraska posted the second-best team score among Big Ten teams at the meet, with a 425.550. Using the four-score average, the team scores by event are Minnesota on floor (70.933), Ohio State on pommel horse (70.350), Minnesota on still rings (69.933), Minnesota on vault (72.600), Ohio State on parallel bars (70.683) and Illinois on high bar (70.533).

Individually, the best in all-round in the Big Ten is Ohio State's Jake Martin, with an 83.017 average. Illini freshman Sebastian Quiana is the best on floor (14.750), and Alec Yoder of Ohio State is the top Big Ten gymnast on pommel horse (15.100). On rings, Illinois' Alex Diab has the best average in the conference (14.867), while Michigan's Anthony McCallum and Minnesota's Yaroslav Pochinka have the best average on vault (14.917). Sean Melton of Ohio State holds the best average on parallel bars (14.550) and Tyson Bull of Illinois is the top Big Ten gymnast on high bar (14.683).

THE LAST TWO TIMES...

The last two times the Big Ten Championships were last held in Champaign in 2011 and 2004, the Illini took home the conference title both times.

NO. 4 IN THE NATION

Illinois is holding steady at fourth place in the latest CGA Coaches Poll. The Illini were No. 3 for eight-straight weeks, and are up one spots from their preseason ranking.

LOOKING AHEAD

The NCAA Championships in West Point, N.Y., are all that await Illinois following the Big Ten Championships. The NCAA Championships are set for April 21-22.