The UA gymnastics team is off to its best start since 1996, and looks to improve on its 5-0 start when it travels to Salt Lake City this weekend to take on the Utes.

The No. 4 Utes will pose a big challenge for the No. 7 Gymcats, who go on the road for their first dual meet of the season.

As if going on the road is not enough of a challenge for the young Gymcats, they will enter the hostile Huntsman Center, the home of the Utes, which is known as one of the loudest gymnasiums in the country.

"Utah is a quality opponent," UA head coach Bill Ryden said. "There will (be) around 10,000 fans, which will be a good experience for the younger players on the team."

Senior Nicci Filchner said competing against the Utes is a one-of-a-kind experience in gymnastics because of their crowd.

"It is like going to a UA basketball game," Filchner said. "It is really exciting. Gymnastics is their sport and your adrenaline really gets going up there."

The UA team is made up of 18 players, which include 14 underclassmen, most of whom are not used to competing in a hostile environment.

The Gymcats will look to senior Randi Liljenquist to help UA try to upset the Utes on their home floor.

Liljenquist enters the meet ranked No. 6 in the nation in the all-around and the beam, No. 7 on the floor and No. 12 on the vault.

Liljenquist said she is not worried about the noise from the crowd, but she said it will be her job as well as other returning gymnasts' to help the freshmen overcome the crowd's intensity.

"I have had some experience with big crowds," Liljenquist said. "For the freshmen it will be awkward because they have never experienced 10,000 fans watching them. We have been practicing yelling as much as possible to try to prepare. We need to block it out of our minds and stay focused. All of the returnees have to keep the freshmen relaxed - and if we do that we will be just fine."

Unlike other sports, a team's record in gymnastics does not play a factor in the team's national ranking.

A team's ranking is made up of the total amount of points scored throughout a season.

Ryden said winning the meet this weekend is important, but he is more focused on trying to score as many points as possible.

"In reality, winning means absolutely nothing for the success of our program," Ryden said. "We all go out there and try to win every meet we compete in, but we are competing nationally in every routine that we do."