If the Illini aren’t careful, they might forget what month it is.

Just last weekend, the men’s gymnastics team patrolled the grounds of the national championship venue in Pennsylvania in a loss to Penn State. While the atmosphere there didn’t have the same intensity of the national championships, the team couldn’t help but flash-forward their thinking to when they will inevitably return in April for the big event.

“We competed there with the same equipment, the same gym, same hotel, same transportation,” head coach Yoshi Hayasaki said. “Now, we’re facing the top teams in the country a week later. So these two weeks are probably the best experience we could have in preparation for the national championships.”

During the week, the team was grounded temporarily by routine practices, following a rough day of travel last Sunday as they struggled through 13 hours of flight cancellations, bus rides and waiting. But already, the pages of the calendar are flipping again in Illini minds, spotting April 12.

Tomorrow, the Illini will match up against five of the top teams in the country at the Pacific Coast Invite in Oakland, Calif. And although junior Wes Haagensen said the team’s immediate exposure to top gymnastics programs is important, he’s also making long-term forecasts.

“I think this weekend is going to go well,” Haagensen said. “Even though these dual meets are important, it really doesn’t matter who’s winning these. In the end, it’s who shows up and puts it all together when it really counts.”

After struggling for much of the year to get everybody on the same page, Hayasaki is hoping this weekend’s competition will create the stage for the Illini to turn their season around. He’s not concerned about any losing streaks they’ve had so far, he said, as long as the guys can turn their experiences into a positive.

“These losses are no indication of where we are,” Hayasaki said. “We had a good start to our season at the Windy City Invitational where we competed well. But after that we just haven’t been on the same page. Everybody’s been trying to pick up new skills or rearrange their routines. We’re still working toward when everything comes together, and we’re just waiting for that to happen.

“I think it’s going to happen soon,” he said. “Maybe even this weekend.”

In tomorrow’s meet, the Illini will face the top-ranked team in the country, Michigan State, for the first time this season. Also entered in the Invitational are Stanford, the University of California-Berkeley, Minnesota and Oklahoma State – last year’s NCAA champs. The Illini’s loss at Minnesota on Jan. 20 constitutes the only experience the Illini have against any of tomorrow’s opponents.

This weekend, Haagensen will return to action after sitting out last week to rest. Chris Silcox is expected to sit out certain events to preserve his body for the rest of the season, possibly giving Kyle Padera a chance to fill in on vault.

“We need to rest guys sometimes,” Haagensen said. “There’s a reason we do it. Hopefully, in the end, it’ll be worth it when everyone’s ready to go.”