For Tyler Yamauchi and the eighth-ranked Illinois men’s gymnastics team, this Saturday’s dual meet with Minnesota will be a chance to exact retribution for its lower-than-expected ranking to start the season.

“I felt like (last year) we showed the other teams that we had potential, even though last year we didn’t really get it together until NCAAs,” Yamauchi said. “We still had a spot in the top 5, we didn’t lose anybody and we got some remarkable freshmen. I don’t see where they got the rankings from. I guess we aren’t seen as a factor, but that’s why at (the Windy City Invite) we felt obligated to put up our best score.”

The team’s frustration is understandable after the Illini’s finish in the Super Six last year, as well as the team’s second-place finish behind No. 1 Stanford at the Windy City Invite. The team and coaching staff talked throughout the week about how their goals have shifted.

“Our goal before was just to see where we are and to see what we could do as a team,” head coach Yoshi Hayasaki said. “Our goal has changed. Now, we are looking to catch up with Stanford and pass them.”

The Illini have their first home meet Saturday at Huff Hall to try to start working their way up the rankings to where they believe they belong. The seventh-ranked Gophers come to Champaign after finishing fifth at the Windy City Invite and feature two Preseason All-Big Ten gymnasts in Kit Beikmann and Andre Berry.

Even with this weekend’s meet, Yamauchi echoed his coach’s sentiments that the team should be looking at the big picture.

“(Goals) have shifted, and it should be for the whole team, too, because that’s what we’re working towards,” Yamauchi said. “If we can compete against teams like Minnesota or Ohio State, that we’ve already beaten, then our eyes need to be on Penn State and Stanford, and we need to be shooting for the top.”

The shift in attitude toward higher goals is something that has permeated throughout the team down to the younger athletes as well. The goal of retribution in the standings is something that would start with beating Minnesota, but with the team’s confidence so high, it is ready for the next step.

“We’re looking past Minnesota,” freshman Daniel Ribeiro said. “We’re looking to beat Stanford.”