N.C. State’s gymnastics team, ranked No. 18 in the country as it heads to Chicago this Friday, is well-balanced with eleven underclassmen and eight upperclassmen.

Apparently, it hasn’t taken very long for the freshmen and sophomores to get comfortable in front of their experienced teammates.

For the first time since March of 2008, State swept the three honors East Atlantic Gymnastics League hands out during any given week – and it’s the young pups making much of the noise. Freshman Lane Jarred was tabbed Rookie of the Week, sophomore Stephanie Ouellette picked up Gymnast of the Week honors and junior Rachel Fincham, who has fought back from injuries throughout each of her season’s in Raleigh, claimed Specialist of the Week honors.

After starting with a pair of meets at home, NCSU will now go 28 days between appearances at Reynolds. Away meets at Illinois-Chicago, Oklahoma and Missouri will bridge the gap to the Sweetheart Invitational, which the Pack will host on Feb. 11.

Ouelette, who last year was the first freshman since 1993 to qualify for the NCAA Championships as an individual, said that gaining momentum throughout the season will be vital for the team’s success.

“Every year it seems like we have been on our peak right around now,” Ouellette said. “It seems like we whittle down and die down by the time we really need to be at our top. We kind of feel that this year we are starting a little different and it will help us at the end of the season when we need to be on our game the people.”

The 2008, 2010 and 2011 New Jersey state all-around champion said she had relatively low expectations coming into her first year with the Pack.

“I didn’t have as high of expectations, I’m just really excited to hit the events I have done so far,” Jarred said. “As a freshman it is really great to just be competing, so it makes me