No. 9 Nittany Lions Travel to No. 14 Illinois

Jan. 29, 2015

PENN STATE at ILLINOIS
Saturday, Jan. 31 - 5 p.m. ET
Huff Hall | Champaign, Ill.
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INSIDE THE NUMBERS
	PSU	UI
Team	195.750	195.608
V	49.108	48.817
UB	49.042	49.083
BB	48.700	48.867
FX	48.900	48.842

2015 Season Averages

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State entered the top-10 of the national rankings for the first time since Feb. 20, 2012 and the No. 9 Nittany Lions will look to continue their solid start to the season when they travel to No.14 Illinois for another Big Ten early season test on Saturday, Jan. 31.

The first meeting between the two programs came in 1992, Penn State's the first year of Big Ten competition,and the Nittany Lions own a 10-2 regular season mark. Last season, the No. 21 Nittany Lions earned a 196.675-195.600 decision over the No. 14 Illini at Rec Hall. The first regular season meeting came in 1996 and Penn State is 3-1 in meets competed at Huff Hall.

Penn State improved to 4-1 overall and 1-1 in the Big Ten last weekend with a 196.550-194.450 victory over Maryland at Rec Hall. The Nittany Lions swept the individual event titles, posted the top team score on each apparatus and claimed the top three spots in the all-around.

For the second time this season Briannah Tsang was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week after posting a winning total in the all-around. Tsang topped the all-around standings at 39.500 and won a pair of individual event titles. The rookie won the floor exercise with a 9.875 to cap the meet, after winning the balance beam crown with a 9.950, tying for the ninth highest score in school history on the event.

Fellow Freshman Lauren Li topped the charts on the vault, as her lead-off vault score of 9.875 stood as the top mark in the meet. Senior Krystal Welsh won the uneven bars crown with a career-best score of 9.900.

Senior Sidney Sanabria-Robles didn't finish outside the top-four on any of the four events and posted scores of 9.800 or better on each event to place second in the all-around at 39.350. She finished second on both the balance beam and floor exercise with scores of 9.850 and 9.875, respectively.

Illinois is coming off of a 196.850-195.475 setback against Michigan last weekend and also sit at 1-1 in the Big Ten, which is tied for third with Penn State and a host of other schools. The Illini sit No. 14 in the national rankings with a season average of 195.608 and rank among the top-10 nationally on the uneven bars and balance beam.

Against Michigan, junior Giana O'Connor led Illinois with a career-high 39.350 in the all-around. O'Connor tied for the event title on the vault with a score of 9.875, the only Illini event title in the meet. Sophomore Erin Buchanan also achieved a career-high all-around score of 39.150 vs. the Wolverines.

Nothing Uneven About Lions on Bars
The uneven bars can be a daunting task for even the most seasoned gymnast. A slight over-shoot can send you tumbling to the mat, but Penn State has put together solid showings on the apparatus in its first three meets.

• Penn State currently ranks 10th nationally with a team average of 49.042 on the uneven bars and three gymnasts are ranked among the top-40 in the NCAA on the apparatus.
• The Nittany Lions swept the top six places in their quad-meet with Cornell, New Hampshire and Rutgers.
• Their 49.000 team score in the season opener is the highest to start a season on bars since Jan. 9, 1999 when they scored 49.125 vs. Rutgers.
• Penn State has posted the top team score on the event in each of their three meets, improving their season best score on each occasion.
• Sidney Sanabria-Robles has won or tied for the title on the uneven bars in each of her first two meets. She did so with scores of 9.850 in both competitions.
• Freshman Briannah Tsang tied with Sanabria-Robles and two Nebraska performers for the uneven bars title last weekend.
• Against Maryland, Penn State claimed three of the top four scores. Krystal Welsh won the event with a career-high 9.900, while Tsang finished second (9.850) and Sanabria-Robles tied for third (9.825).

Lions Achieve Historic Marks in Sweep of Maryland
Penn State did something that not many teams have done in school history inside of the historic Recreation Building on Saturday, Jan. 24 vs. Maryland.

• Penn State posted a team score of 196.550, which is the second highest January score in school history. The 1999 squad posted a 196.750-193.550 win over Florida at home on Jan. 30, 1999.
• It is just the seventh time in program history that the Nittany Lions scored 196.000 or better before the calendar turned to February. Most recently the Lions logged a 196.025 vs. Cornell, Southeast Missouri and UIC on Jan. 18, 2014.
• Penn State swept all four individual event titles, posted the high score on all four team events and claimed the all-around title.

Sweeping the Floor
Penn State posted its highest floor exercise score of the season vs. Maryland on Jan. 24 and in the process swept the top six spots in the event.

• Freshman Briannah Tsang led the way for the Nittany Lions with an event winning and career-best score of 9.875. It was the first floor exercise title of her career.
• Krystal Welsh finished second at 9.850 and Emma SIbson claimed third on the event at 9.825.
• The trio of Lauren Li, Sidney Sanabria-Robles and Oni Timothy all tied for four at 9.800. No Terrapin competitor posted a score better than 9.775.
• It is the second time this season that Penn State swept the top six spots on an apparatus; doing so in their season opening quad meet on the uneven bars.

Tsang Nabs Second Freshman B1G Honor vs. Maryland
Freshman Briannah Tsang continued her impressive rookie campaign on Saturday, Jan. 24 vs. Maryland and for her efforts collected the Big Ten Freshman of the Week award for the second time in three weeks.

• Tsang captured her second Big Ten Freshman of the Week honor after winning the all-around vs. Maryland with a career-best 39.500.
• Tsang posted the ninth highest score in school history to win the balance beam with a total of 9.950 and followed that up with a 9.875 on the floor exercise to capture the title.
• She also won the award after winning the all-around in the Lions season opening quad meet vs. Cornell, New Hampshire and Rutgers.
• Tsang and Michigan's Brianna Brown have each won the award twice this season, bringing the total of multi-time winners to 16 since the award was first selected in 2010.
• Penn State has seen a Big Ten-best four gymnasts earn multiple Freshman of the Week laurels; Sharaya Musser (3, 2010), Samantha Musto (2, 2013), Emma Sibson (2, 2014) and Tsang.
• Overall, Penn State ranks second in Big Ten history with 10 Freshman of the Week awards won since 2010. Michigan is first with 14, while Nebraska and Minnesota each have nine.

Tsang Enters Record Books
After winning the all-around title in her first collegiate meet, freshman Briannah Tsang followed that up by entering the Penn State record books in her second career competition.

• The rookie wrote her name into the record books in back-to-back weeks, doing so on the vault vs. No. 8 Nebraska on Jan. 17 and the balance beam vs. Maryland on Jan. 24.
• In the second event of the afternoon at No. 8 Nebraska, Tsang logged a vault score of 9.950 to tie for ninth in school history on the event.
• It is the second straight season that a freshman has written its name into the record books, with Emma Sibson posting scores 9.975 (T5th) and 9.950 (T9th) during the 2014 season.
• Tsang currently ranks tied for 23rd nationally on the vault with a season average of 9.875.
• Vs. Maryland, Tsang produced a balance beam routine that earned a 9.950 from the judges, which is also tied for ninth in school history.
• She currently ranks No. 7 nationally on the balance beam with a 9.883 season average.

Senior Campaign Off to Good Start for Sanabria-Robles
After earning second team All-Big Ten last season, senior Sidney Sanabria-Robles is leading by example for the Blue and White in 2015.

• Sanabria-Robles has finished second overall in the all-around in the last two meets. At No. 8 Nebraska she logged a career-high-tying score of 39.425 (Illinois, 2014) and last weekend vs. Maryland posted a 39.350.
• She won or tied for the title on the uneven bars in each of the first two meets of the season.
• Her uneven bars average of 9.842 ranks 31st nationally entering the weekend.
• Her 9.900 score on the vault at Nebraska equals her career-best score, which she also accomplished three times last season.
• She tied her career-high with a 9.875 on the balance beam vs. the Terrapins to finish second overall on the apparatus.

Tsang Shines in Season Opener; Earns B1G Rookie of the Week
It's not often that a freshman bursts onto the collegiate gymnastics scene and claims the all-around in their first competition, but Briannah Tsang did just that for Penn State on Jan. 10.

• Tsang shook off the nerves and won a pair of event titles and the all-around in the Nittany Lions' season opener vs. Cornell, New Hampshire and Rutgers.
• Her all-around score of 39.225 was the highest by a freshman in the season opener in school history and was the highest all-around score by a freshman since Sharaya Musser posted a score of 39.500 at the Big Ten Championships in 2010.
• For her performance in the season opener, she earned Co-Big Ten Freshman of the Week, sharing the honor with Michigan's Brianna Brown.
• Tsang becomes the second straight Penn State rookie to win the initial FOTW honor from the Big Ten, as Nicole Medvitz did so to start the 2014 campaign.
• The rookie posted the 10th highest all-around score in the nation during the opening weekend at 39.225.

Carroll Back in Form After Injury Filled 2014 Season
Junior Lexi Carroll missed 11 of Penn State's 14 meets in 2014 due to a pair of injuries, but the senior opened 2015 with a bang on Jan. 10 by competing in three of four events for the Blue and White.

• In the season opener, Carroll hit on all three of her routines and posted scores of 9.725 or above on the uneven bars, balance beam and floor exercise.
• She tied for third overall on the floor exercise and ranked among the top three for PSU on the balance beam and floor exercise.
• The senior took home the Ann Carr Award - given to the gymnast with the most inspirational performance at each Penn State home meet - vs. Cornell, New Hampshire and Rutgers on Jan. 10.
• Carroll missed the first six meets of the 2014 season due to a finger injury before returning for an exhibition performance against No. 15 Illinois on Feb. 15.
• After competing in three meets, she suffered an Achilles injury on March 8 and missed the remaining five meets of the season.

Nittany Lions Return to Top-10
Penn State has a rich and storied tradition in women's gymnastics and another chapter is unfolding this season, as the Nittany Lions returned to the NCAA top-10 for the first time since 2012.

• Penn State entered the top-10 in the national rankings on Jan. 26, 2015 with a season average of 195.750.
• It is the first time Penn State has been among the top-10 in the national rankings since Feb. 20, 2012 when they sat at 10th.
• It is their highest ranking since Jan. 23 of the 2012 campaign when the Lions were No. 9 in the national polls with a scoring average of 196.000.

Thompson Closing in on 150 Victories
Head coach Jeff Thompson is in his 16th season as a collegiate head coach and is closing in on his 150th career regular season victory. In his career, Thompson has compiled a 136-97 record.

• In his fifth season at the helm of Penn State, Thompson has earned 63 regular season victories and is 64-15 overall.
• Add those 64 wins to his 72 while at Auburn and the Highland Heights, Ky., native sits at 136 career wins. His overall record while at Auburn was 72-82.
• Last season, the Nittany Lions owned a 20-3 regular season record and set a school record for regular season victories.
• The previous school record was held by the 2007 squad, which finished 19-4 and placed third at the NCAA Regional Championships.

Lions Post Sixth Best Season Opening Score in School History
You always want to start the season off on a high note and the 2015 edition of the Blue and White did just that with a team score of 194.675.

• The tally of 194.675 is the sixth highest season opening score in school history and their best first meet mark since a school-record 195.775 in 2012.
• Two of the top-10 scores have come under the watch of head coach Jeff Thompson.
• Four of them have been recorded at home, with four others accomplished at the Super Six Challenge; 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2007.

195.775 - Morgantown, W.Va. (2012)
195.075 - University Park, Pa. (1999)
194.875 - University Park, Pa. (2006)
194.850 - Gainesville, Fla. (2005)
194.800 - University Park, Pa. (2009)
194.675 - University Park, Pa. (2015)
194.600 - Tuscaloosa, Ala. (2004)
194.575 - Fayetteville, Ark. (2007)
194.375 - Athens, Ga. (2003)
194.050 - Pittsburgh, Pa. (2008)

Lions Post Top NCAA Postseason Score at NCAA Regional
When Penn State notched a 196.725 team score at the 2014 NCAA University Park Regional it was the second highest team score for the Nittany Lions that season.

It was also the highest NCAA postseason score in school history, ranking 11th overall in program history.

Of the NCAA postseason team scores, nine of the top-10 have been accomplished at the NCAA Regional, with the only NCAA Championship score coming in 2009.

Three of the top 10 NCAA postseason scores have come under the watch of head coach Jeff Thompson. His 2013 squad scored 195.875 at the NCAA Regional and the 2011 squad totaled 195.850 in his first NCAA Regional with the Blue and White.

Below are the top 10 NCAA postseason scores in Penn State history.
1. 2014 - NCAA Regional - 196.725
2. 2001 - NCAA Regional - 196.425
3. 1999 - NCAA Regional - 196.335
4. 2003 - NCAA Regional - 196.175
5. 2009 - NCAA Championships - 196.100
6. 2004 - NCAA Regional - 196.075
7. 2010 - NCAA Regional - 196.050
8. 2000 - NCAA Regional - 196.925
9. 2013 - NCAA Regional - 195.875
10. 2011 - NCAA Regional - 195.850

Sibson Vaults Into Record Books
Emma Sibson didn't know when or how her freshman season would start after an offseason injury in 2014, but she made an immediate impact in the season opener at Iowa State.

She competed on the vault in all 14 of the team's competitions and topped the 9.850 mark in seven of those meets. Over the final month, Sibson found her footing - literally - sticking vaults in five of the last eight competitions.

At the Big Ten Championships, the rookie boasted a score of 9.900 to tie for fifth on the event and tie for the team's highest score with Krystal Welsh. She duplicated that score a week later to tie for third at the NCAA Regional.

In the Nittany Lions meet at New Hampshire with Bridgeport and George Washington, she stuck her vault and collected new personal-best of 9.975. That score was tied for third highest in the Big Ten in 2014 and trailed only a perfect 10.000 from Illinois' Amber See and Minnesota's Lindsay Mable.

Her 9.975 is tied for fifth on Penn State's all-time list, while her 9.950 against No. 10 Nebraska on Feb. 8 is tied for ninth all-time. Only Brandi Personett and Katie Rowland have better scores on the vault for the Nittany Lions, each collecting a perfect 10.0 twice in their careers.

Nittany Lions Among top-10 in NCAA Championships Appearances
Penn State has qualified for the NCAA Women's Gymnastics Championships on 17 occasions since the event began in 1982.

Their 17 appearances rank 10th all-time and are third in the Big Ten, behind Michigan (21) and Nebraska (22).

Utah has advanced to all 33 of the women's gymnastics championship events, while Alabama and Florida have competed at 32 of the 33 meets.

Here is the complete top-10 list;
1. Utah - 33
2. Alabama - 32
Florida - 32
4. Georgia - 30
UCLA - 30
6. LSU - 25
7. Nebraska - 22
8. Michigan - 21
9. Arizona State - 19
10. Penn State - 17

It's All About Family
The Penn State women's gymnastics program is all about family and there are numerous connections within the Nittany Lion family and the NCAA gymnastics community in 2015.

Head coach Jeff Thompson is married to associate head coach Rachelle Thompson. The tandem have coached side by side since their time at Auburn and have two sons, Parker and Griffin. Parker is a member of the Penn State's men's volleyball program.

Junior Sidney Sanabria-Robles transferred to Penn State after spending a season at LSU and one of the main factors in that move was being close to family. Sanabria-Robles competes for the women's squad, while her brother, Ismail Sanabria, is a part of the Penn State men's program.

The gymnastics community is a tight-knit group and Krystal Welsh knows that all too well. The senior not only competed on the same floor as her brother, Jakob, last season, but also made up the only brother-sister duo to compete at the NCAA Championships in 2014. Jakob was a freshman on the Temple men's gymnastics team. The pair competed inside Rec Hall when the women's team faced Nebraska and Temple competed against the Nittany Lions men's squad on Feb. 8 last season.

Thompson in Elite Company
Head coach Jeff Thompson headed back to the NCAA Championships for the second time as a head coach and his first as the leader of the Nittany Lions in 2014.

Thompson's first appearance at the national meet came with Auburn in 2003 and he led the Nittany Lions back to the national summit for the first time since the program went in 2009.

He is just the third head coach in NCAA history to navigate two different programs to the NCAA Championships, joining K.J. Kindler (Iowa State & Oklahoma) and Judi Markell (Penn State and Florida).

Thompson took Auburn to the championships during his fourth season at the helm of the program. The Tigers finished 12th at the 2003 NCAA Championships, posting a team score of 193.525.

The Highland Heights, Ky., native guided Penn State to their 17th appearance at the NCAA Championships in his fourth year, as well. The Blue and White finished 12th with a team score of 194.825.

Kindler and Thompson are still active head coaches and both led their respective teams, Oklahoma & Penn State, to the Championships last season.

Three Added in Early Signing Period
Sabrina Garcia, Mason Hosek and Jessica Jones each signed a National Letters of Intent to attend Penn State University and participate in women's gymnastics starting in the 2015-16 academic year.

Garcia, who trains at Prestige Gymnastics in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is coached by Tony and Jen Fatta and was the 2014 Pennsylvania Level 10 state champion on uneven bars and balance beam as well as finishing fourth vault and third in the all-around. She went on to compete in the USA Junior Olympic National Championships where she finished second in the nation on uneven bars and 19th in the all-around.

Hosek currently trains at Capital Gymnastics in Austin, Texas, and is coached by Barry Hyder. In 2013, Hosek claimed the national championship on both balance beam and floor exercise at the USA Gymnastics Junior Olympic National Championships. During that same season, she won balance beam at the Region Three Championships after earning the title of Texas State All-Around Champion. In 2012, she had top-six finishes at the Region Three Championship on both vault and floor exercise, along with a sixth place showing in the All-Around. Hosek followed that with a seventh place finish in the all-around at the Junior Olympic National Championships. Hosek did not compete in 2014 due to injury.

Jones, who trains at Youngstown Gymnastics Center in Youngstown, Ohio, is coached by Sandy Sabo and Chad Cleland and comes to Penn State with a superb gymnastics background. In 2014, Jones finished seventh in the nation on balance beam at the Junior Olympic National Championships. She was also named the Ohio State Vault Champion in 2012, as well as the national champion on vault at the National Invitational Tournament in 2010 followed by a runner-up finish in 2011.

Richards, Molinaro Join Staff
Head coach Jeff Thompson added a pair of experienced and talented members to his coaching staff this offseason in Jeff Richards and Kera Molinaro.

Richards has over 25 years of collegiate coaching experience across Divisions I, II and III. Most recently he served as an assistant coach at George Washington University in 2014. Prior to joining the staff at GWU, he served as the head women's gymnastics coach at Utah State University from 2009-13. Richards is familiar with Big Ten gymnastics, as well, spending four seasons at the University of Iowa.

He spent five seasons at the helm of the Aggies program and was named the 2011 NCAA Division I National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches North Central Region Co-Head Coach of the Year. His stay in Logan, Utah included 19 student-athletes advancing to the NCAA Regionals and 22 Academic All-WAC picks.

Molinaro enters her 10th season involved with collegiate gymnastics, which includes two years as the volunteer assistant coach at her alma mater, Oregon State, and three seasons on the coaching staff at Rutgers. She competed for the Beavers from 2006-09 and helped them to four consecutive appearances at the NCAA Championships.

A native of Lake Oswego, Ore., Molinaro ventured to the east coast and spent the last three seasons as an assistant coach at Rutgers. She had an immediate impact on the Scarlet Knights' program, helping them earn a berth at the 2014 NCAA Regional Championships. The NCAA Regional appearance was the programs' first since 2007.