Penn State Women's Gymnastics Places Third at NCAA RegionalsPenn State Women's Gymnastics Places Third at NCAA Regionals

Penn State Women's Gymnastics Places Third at NCAA Regionals

April 2, 2011

Complete Results in PDF Format

Photo Gallery

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The Penn State women's gymnastics team fell shy of advancing to the NCAA National Championships after finishing with a team score of 195.850. The Nittany Lions were .075 behind second place finisher Illinois. Alabama won the meet with a 197.275, Illinois was second with a 195.925, Auburn took fourth with a 195.600, Kentucky placed fifth with a 195.175 and Central Michigan scored a 195.075 for sixth.

Assistant coach Randy Monahan was named the Regional Assistant Coach of the Year and Penn State's Senior Women's Administrator and Associate Athletic Director Susan Delaney-Scheetz was named the Regional Administrator of the Year.

Penn State posted team scores of 49.000 on vault, 49.125 on the uneven bars, 48.850 on beam and a 48.875 on floor.

Sophomore Sharaya Musser (Colorado Springs, Colo.) was Penn State's top performer in the all-around. She finished third with a 39.425. Junior Whitney Bencsko (Pompton Plains, N.J.) placed 11th with a 39.075 and sophomore Madison Merriam (Gaithersburg, Md.) finished 17th scoring a 38.650. Alabama's Kayla Hoffman claimed the all-around title with a 39.650.

The Nittany Lions opened the meet on beam where Musser led PSU with a fifth place finish. She tied with Auburn's Kylie Shields scoring a 9.875. Bencsko scored a 9.775 to tie for 16th, while freshman Cassidy Bogar (League City, Texas) finished 21st with a 9.750. Senior Danielle Hover (Hamburg, N.Y.) and junior Daryl Konsevick (Rutherford, N.J.) tied for 26th with a 9.725. Geralen Stack-Eaton of Alabama posted a 9.950 to claim the crown.

After a bye in rotation two, Penn State moved on to floor. Musser and Benscko were part of an 11-way tie for 10th after each scoring a 9.800. Bogar was Penn State's next top performer and finished tied for 21st with a 9.775. Freshman Lindsay Musgrove (League City, Texas) and Merriam each earned a 9.750 to finish 27th. Alabama's Hoffman earned a 9.925 to win the event.

Rotation four had Penn State competing on vault. The Nittany Lions had two gymnasts finish in the top 10, including Musser, who placed second with a 9.900, and Merriam, who recorded a 9.825 for seventh. Freshman Kristin Blades (Gainesville, Va.) scored a 9.800, good enough for 11th place, and Bencsko posted a 9.750 to tie for 21st. Musgrove and Hover each earned a 9.725 to place 28th. Hoffman picked up another individual title scoring a 9.925.

The Nittany Lions closed out the meet on the uneven bars in rotation six after having a bye during the fifth rotation. Three Penn State gymnasts finished in the top three as part of a six-way tie for third. Junior Alex Stine (Philipsburg, Pa.), Merriam and Musser all posted a 9.850 to share third place. Hover scored a 9.800 to tie for 0th, while junior Natalie Ettl (Waukesha, Wis.) scored a 9.775 for 18th. Hoffman earned her third individual event title of the night with a 9.900.

For more information on the Penn State women's gymnastics team, please visit GoPSUsports.com.