At this point in the season, the ISU gymnasts have created nearly a two-point distinction between their home and away total scores. Compared to an average of 193.908 on the road, the Cyclones have displayed an average score of 195.800 at Hilton. 

If the Cyclones’ away numbers were disregarded in NCAA rankings, they would be in a deadlock with Illinois-Champaign for the No. 15 spot in the top-25 Division I rankings. However, the team’s current average away from Hilton has held Iowa State to an overall average of 194.854 — a little more than .200 away from a spot in the top 25.

This trend of maximizing home field advantage is not an uncommon one for the ISU gymnastics team. Iowa State has not had greater success on the road than at home since its 2009-10 season, when it average a score of 195.646 on the road in the regular season, compared to its mean score of 194.638 at home.

However, that season was unique in that the Cyclones only hosted four regular season home meets, whereas they traveled to seven away meets. The Cyclones were 3-2 at Hilton that season, while going 4-5 at the various other venues from Salt Lake City to Iowa City. 

In that same season as well, Iowa State squared off against Iowa twice as part of the HyVee Cy-Hawk Series — once at Hilton and once at the Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Parallel to the trend of that season, Iowa State claimed victory at the first matchup in Iowa City only to be defeated in Ames just two weeks later.

This year’s ISU gymnastics team will attempt to mobilize that same road success of the 2009-10 team as they travel to Chicago for the IGI Chicago Style Meet on Feb. 13.

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