The ISU gymnastics team has nothing but excitement going into Friday’s Beauty and The Beast meet. The Cyclones will have their normal gymnastics meet in Hilton, but there is a big difference this time around. The ISU wrestling team will be having a meet at the same time in the other half of the arena.

Jasmine Thompson and Ceilia Maccani have some experience with the meet, as the last time Iowa State did this, they were freshmen. Both gymnasts were redshirted last time but did get the chance to watch it.

“I think it will be similar to my freshman year. We had a lot of fans come in and it was really loud, we like it being really loud. We like having a lot of fans and having them cheering, so I think it will be a good atmosphere and will help everyone get motivated throughout the meet,” Maccani said.

Nikki Dilbert also had the chance to watch it before she became a Cyclone.

“I’m really excited to go into Friday because it’s Beauty and the Beast. They did it a couple years ago and I watched it before I got here, and so I’m really looking forward to being out there with the wrestlers and show Minnesota what we’re made of,” Dilbert said.

The Cyclones face Minnesota in the meet, whom they lost to earlier this season. Even though the Cyclones know what to expect from the Gophers, some are not sure what to expect with having the wrestlers in the same arena.

“I’m actually really excited. I have never done anything like this before, so I think it will be more fun than anything. I think, when there are a lot more crowds there and a lot more people, it gets us built up and it gets our adrenaline going,” said Jody McKellar.

Freshman Michelle Browning is eager to get a more diverse crowd into Hilton.

“We’re all really excited just because there will be some people that have never seen gymnastics before and aren’t really familiar with it, so it should be a lot of fun to have that,” Browning said.

The Cyclones hope to add a win to their current winless record this Friday and are energetic and pumped up for The Beauty and The Beast event.

Winless record

The Cyclones have had good scores but have still not won a meet. Iowa State has come close but fallen short in some meets, and is still ranked No. 20 in the nation.

How important is getting a win?

“It matters to the fans. They love to see wins as opposed to losses. Really the only loss I don’t like is losing to Iowa. Besides that I just want great, big scores. We need to dig ourselves out of the little slump we’re in now and put up some bigger scores,” said coach Jay Ronayne.

One of the Cyclone’s top performers, Megan Barnes, is trying to heal a hurt ankle and won’t be competing this Friday