The Iowa women’s gymnastics team is enjoying an extended break between competitions before officially starting the regular season with a dual meet against Utah State on Jan. 11 in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

The GymHawks face a tough schedule this year, adding Georgia, one of the top teams in the SEC, in addition to their competitive Big Ten opponents.

All eight Big Ten teams qualified for the NCAA regional competition last year. Iowa will try to make its seventh-straight appearance.

The Big Ten Quad Meets are new additions to the schedule this year, in which each Big Ten team will compete in one of two meets. Michigan will host Iowa, Minnesota, and Penn State in this meet on March 15. The other meet will be hosted by Michigan State and will include the other Big Ten schools.

“We are constantly adjusting our championships to coincide with the changes in the Big Ten,” head coach Larissa Libby said in a release. “Previously, seeds were based on rankings throughout the season — your regional qualifying score placed you in the top or bottom session (of the Big Ten championships). Now, basically the two Quad Meets, like divisions, seed the teams. The top two teams from each Quad Meet will go to the stronger session at the Big Ten championships.”

The Hawkeyes will host their first Big Ten matchup against Nebraska on Jan. 24.

—  by Jordan Bucher