Sept. 16, 2013
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; September 16, 2013 - The first competition is still 104 days away, but the Penn State women's gymnastics team will take to the gym for their first official day of practice today (Sept. 16) inside the Mary Beaver White Building.
The Nittany Lions squad has been going through conditioning and putting in individual work in the gym since school began on Aug. 26, but the beginning of organized team practices begin at 1:30 on Sept. 16 inside the gymnastics training facility in the White Building.
"We are super excited to get started with the girls," said head coach Jeff Thompson. "They have worked so hard in the community, in the classroom and in the gym since late August and are ready for the official start to the season. It is an exciting year for us as we are hosting the Big Ten and NCAA Regional Championships in Rec Hall. Our team knows the expectations that lie before them and are ready to rise to the challenge and represent Penn State."
The 2014 roster features seniors Lindsay Musgrove and Kassidy Stauder, along with juniors Lexi Carroll, Randi Lau - a transfer from LSU - Sidney Sanabria-Robles, Krystal Welsh and Alex Witt. Sophomores Taylor Alotta, Alix Faden, Hannah Kobman, Samantha Musto and Savannah Soares all return for their second season, while newcomers feature sophomore Alyssa DiFrancesco and freshmen Jenny Lash, Nicole Medvitz, Tina Postiglione and Emma Sibson.
Head coach Jeff Thompson begins his fourth season at the helm of the Nittany Lions program and is joined by associate head coach Rachelle Thompson, assistant coach Randy Monahan and volunteer assistant, and former Penn State gymnast, Whitney Bencsko.
Thompson has tutored one Big Ten Gymnast of the Year, six All-Big Ten selections, four Big Ten Individual Event Champions and has seen a pair of Nittany Lions earn All-America status on five occasions.
His student-athletes have also succeeded in the classroom. Fifteen different Lions have earned Academic All-Big Ten on 25 occasions and five different student-athletes have been named NACGC/W Scholar-Athletes.
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