March 8, 2011
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The fifth-ranked Penn State men's gymnastics team will continue its lengthy March road stretch this week when it ventures outside the country for a dual meet with the Puerto Rico National Team in the island nation's capitol city of San Juan, P.R. The competition, which is scheduled for a 7 p.m. ET start on Fri., March 11, will count towards the Nittany Lions' 2011 NCAA team and individual standings.
On the road in Minneapolis last weekend, the Nittany Lions maintained their unblemished 2011 record, posting a score of 351.600 to defeat host No. 8 Minnesota (344.600) and No. 10 Iowa (333.800). Penn State's depth was on display, as five different Lions captured titles. Reigning CGA National Gymnast of the Week sophomore Felix Aronovich (Kiryat Bialik, Israel) won the parallel bars (14.600) and finished second in the high bar (14.800) en route to compiling a score of 86.200 in the all-around. For his standout efforts, he was honored as the Big Ten Gymnast of the Week for the second time in his career. Also highlighting the Penn State victory was the title-winning high bar performance of freshman Wasef Burbar (Arlington Heights, Ill.). His score of 15.100 was a team season high and ranks fifth in the PSU record book.
Friday's meet will be a reunion of sorts for a pair of former Nittany Lions. Luis Vargas and Tommy Ramos, who will compete for the Puerto Rico National Team, will face off against their collegiate coach, Randy Jepson. Vargas was an 11-time All-American and won three individual NCAA titles, two in the all-around and one in pommel horse, and one team championship during his time in Happy Valley (2003-05). Ramos earned six All-American honors and was a key figure on the 2007 national championship squad.
The competition will also pit two of Penn State's top still rings performers in recent history, as Ramos, a two-time Big Ten champion in the event, and current Nittany Lion sophomore Scott Rosenthal (Clearfield, Pa.) will square off. Ramos owns the program's top score in the rings since the FIG system was implemented, a 16.000, while Rosenthal sits in second in the record book, recording a 15.900 earlier this season versus Illinois.
The trip to the Caribbean island nation will be a homecoming for current PSU gymnasts and native Puerto Ricans redshirt freshman Francisco Vazquez (San Juan, P.R.) and freshman Nestor Rodriguez (Guaynabo, P.R.), as they will have the opportunity to perform in front of friends and family.
The Nittany Lions have not competed against an international opponent during the regular season since March 1, 2005 when it hosted a team of college all-stars from Japan at Rec Hall. Ironically, both Vargas and Ramos were in the Penn State line-up for that exhibition, as the Lions were edged out, 224.300-224.150.
Next Saturday, Penn State will conclude the regular season and finish out a grueling three-week long road swing that will see them log well over a total of 7,000 travel miles when it faces host No. 2 Oklahoma and No. 4 Illinois in Norman. The tri-meet is scheduled for an 8 p.m. ET start at the Sooners' McCasland Field House. The Nittany Lions have dropped dual meets to Oklahoma in each of the last three seasons but posted a season high team score of 356.300 in their previous visit to Norman in 2009. Penn State is looking for its second win of the year versus Illinois after defeating the Illini in Champaign, 352.100-351.000, on Feb. 19.