April 4, 2009
Complete Results
Raleigh, N.C. - For the first time since 2005, the 12th-ranked Penn State women's gymnastics team has advanced to the NCAA National Championships. The Nittany Lions finished second with a score of 195.800 at the NCAA Southeast Regional Championships in Raleigh, N.C. No. 1 Georgia claimed top honors with a 197.700.
The top two teams from each of the six NCAA Regional Championship sites around the country advance to the NCAA National Championships, slated for April 16-18 in Lincoln, Neb. This will be Penn State's 23rd overall team appearance in the NCAA National Championships, including the ninth under 2009 Big Ten Co-Coach of the Year Steve Shephard.
Behind Georgia and Penn State, No. 13 Nebraska finished third (195.450), No. 21 West Virginia finished fourth (194.225), No. 30 North Carolina finished fifth (194.125) and No. 19 NC State finished sixth (193.800).
As a team, Penn State recorded scores of 49.250 on vault, 48.800 on bars, 48.525 on beam and 49.225 on floor.
Big Ten Gymnast of the Year junior Brandi Personett (Katy, Texas) finished second in the all-around with a 39.350 while Second Team All-Big Ten freshman Whitney Bencsko (Pompton Plains, N.J.) placed 15th with a 38.375.
Penn State opened up the six-team meet on the uneven bars, with Personett and junior Alexandra Brockway (Macungie, Pa.) tying for eighth with a 9.825. Freshman Natalie Ettl (North Prairie, Wis.) scored a 9.800 for 11th as sophomore Danielle Hover (Hamburg, N.Y.) placed 14th with a 9.775. Freshman Alex Stine (Philipsburg, Pa.) notched a 9.575 and Bencsko posted a 9.150 to round out the Nittany Lion competitors. Georgia's Courtney Kupets took home the bars title with a 9.925.
The Nittany Lions moved to the beam in the second rotation, with Personett earning a ninth-place 9.800. Juniors Casey Rohrbaugh (Spring Grove, Pa.) and Allie Southard (Nanuet, N.Y.) both scored a 9.725 for 14th as Brockway tallied a 9.650 for 21st. Sophomore Melissa Klein (Oceanside, N.Y.) notched a 9.625 and Bencsko posted a 9.475. Georgia's Courtney McCool took home the beam crown with a 10.000.
After a bye in the third rotation, Penn State moved to the floor in the fourth rotation. Personett scored her 10th score of 9.900 or better this season as she put up a 9.900 to tie for second. Bencsko placed fifth with a 9.875 as Rohrbaugh and Southard each notched a 9.825 to tie for ninth. Sophomore Heather McElwee (Ponte Vedra, Fla.) and freshman Daryl Konsevick (Rutherford, N.J.) both recorded a 9.800 to tie for 14th to aid the Lions' in putting up their second-highest floor score of the season with a 49.225. NC State's Taylor Seaman took home the floor title with a 9.950.
Penn State moved to its final event, vault, in the fifth rotation. Rohrbaugh and Bencsko came through huge, both recording scores of 9.875, a career high for Rohrbaugh, to each tie for fourth. Brockway posted a 9.850 for eighth while Hover and Personett each notched a 9.825 for 15th. Southard rounded out the Nittany Lions with a 9.700. Georgia's Courtney Kupets took home the vault crown with a 10.000.
For more information on the Penn State women's gymnastics team, please visit www.GoPSUsports.com.