UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - No. 5 Penn State men’s gymnastics travels back to Ann Arbor, Michigan, to compete in the 2025 NC Men’s Gymnastics regional of Friday, April 18, at 1 p.m.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Date: April 18 at 1:00 p.m.
Location: Ann Arbor, Mich. | Venue: Crisler Center
TUNE IN
LAST TIME OUT
The Nittany Lions stuck 11 landings and hit on 23 of 24 routines to finish second at the 2025 Big Ten Championships just two weeks ago. Penn State advances seven athletes on 13 routines to day two of the Big Ten Championships, where the top finishers competed for individual championships.
In the second session, Josh Karnes won his second Big Ten gold medal on parallel bars, while PSU earned seven more podium finishes.
MEETING HISTORY
Penn State hopes to advance to the finals of the NC Men’s Gymnastics Championships for the first time since 2023 after narrowly missing the cut last season. A top three finish at the NC finals would be the best finish for Penn State since 2015. A National Title would be the program’s first since 2007.
NATIONAL RECOGNITION
For the first time since the 2023 season, and only the second season since 2020, Penn State has a finalist for the Nissen-Emery Award, which highlights the nation’s top men’s gymnast. Senior Josh Karnes has been named one of seven finalists for the award, as announced by the College Gymnastics Association (CGA).
Karnes, a native of Erie, Pennsylvania, finished his 2024 season with a bronze medal at the NCAA Championships on the Parallel Bars after being securing the event title at Big Ten individual championships the same season. The senior is a five time All-American, earning the nod in the All-Around and Parallel Bars in both 2023 and 2024 in addition to earning the honor on the Vault in 2023.
This season, Karnes has earned Gymnast of the Week honors from the Big Ten and Specialist of the Week honors from the CGA. The Communications and Media Studies major is currently the nation’s No. 2-ranked Parallel Bars gymnast with a four-score average of 14.033. His High Bar numbers have been equally as impressive this year. He ranks fifth in the country on the event with a four-score average of 13.683. As the anchor for the event, he has helped Penn State to secure its last two meet wins, including the upset over No. 2-ranked Stanford.
The “Heisman Trophy” of gymnastics, the Nissen-Emery Award is inscribed with the following motto: “The true champion seeks excellence physically, mentally, socially, and morally.”
In addition to the athlete honors, Penn State men’s gymnastics coaching staff swept the 2025 NCAA Regional Coach Staff of the Year awards, it was announced at the 2025 NCAA Banquet. Randy Jepson was named the central region’s Head Coach of the Year, while Tony Beck and Carlos Vazquez were recognized as the central region’s Assistant Coaches of the Year. Vazquez was also recognized by the CGA with the Honor Coach Award. The award is given annually to a member-coach of twenty-five years or more who has gained the admiration of his coaching associates.
2025 SEASON PREVIEW
The Nittany Lions entered their 2025 campaign ranked sixth in the College Gymnastics Association (CGA) Preseason Coaches Poll.
Head coach Randy Jepson returns for his 34th season at the helm of the program along with associate head coach Tony Beck (ninth season) and assistant coach Carlos Vazquez (13th season).
Penn State finished their 2024 season 3-3 overall and 1-3 in the Big Ten. The team has 14 returners including All-Americans Josh Karnes, Michael Artlip, and Luke Esparo.
Karnes finished the 2024 season as an NCAA Bronze Medalist following his third-place finish in the parallel bars at the national championships.
Karnes along with graduate student Matt Cormier were named Big Ten Gymnasts to Watch after stellar regular and off seasons.
The team has a new face. Graduate Student Kellen Ryan will make his debuts with the Nittany Lions, joining the program from the University of Minnesota.
UP NEXT
The Nittany Lions look to finish in the top three in Friday afternoon’s session to advance to the 2025 NC Men’s Gymnastics Championships. Advancing as a team to Saturday’s session give the team a chance at the 2025 National Championship.