| PENN STATE QUAD MEET | |||
| Saturday, Jan. 10 - 4 p.m. ET | |||
| Recreation Building | University Park, Pa. | |||
| Game Day Information: | |||
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| Meet Notes: Penn State | |||
| Statistics: Penn State | Cornell | New Hampshire | Rutgers | |||
| INSIDE THE NUMBERS | ||||
| PSU | CU | UNH | RU | |
| Team | 196.475 | 191.935 | 195.880 | 195.340 |
| V | 49.195 | 48.245 | 48.950 | 48.905 |
| UB | 49.120 | 48.485 | 48.358 | 48.885 |
| BB | 49.090 | 47.195 | 49.075 | 48.905 |
| FX | 49.290 | 48.245 | 49.125 | 48.975 |
2014 Regional Qualifying Averages
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State will begin its 51st season of women's gymnastics inside of the only home they've known, the historic Recreation Building, against Cornell, New Hampshire and Rutgers on Saturday, Jan. 10 at 4 p.m. The Nittany Lions return seven experienced gymnasts and welcome four newcomers into the fold for 2015, as they look to make a return trip to the NCAA Championships.
Head coach Jeff Thompson is in his fifth season at the helm of the Blue and White and owns a record of 60-15 in regular season competition. He became just the third coach in NCAA history to lead multiple programs to the NCAA Championships in 2014 when the Lions advanced to the national summit for the 17th time in program history. Thompson led Auburn to the national meet in 2003 and, last season, guided Penn State to its first appearance since 2009. He joined K.J. Kindler (Iowa State & Oklahoma) and Judi Avener-Markell (Penn State & Florida) in the elite club.
Penn State will be looking to make back-to-back appearances at the NCAA Championships for the first time since 1999-2000 and will have to replace a pair of experienced seniors in 2015: All-American Kassidy Stauder and vault and floor exercise specialist Lindsey Musgrove. Stauder was the team's top performers in a multitude of events last season, leading the team and ranking nationally in the all-around and on the balance beam and uneven bars. Musgrove provided a steady performance each week on the vault and floor exercise, ranking 47th nationally on the floor.
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A balanced roster features four seniors, three sophomores and a quartet of freshmen. Seniors Lexi Carroll, Sidney Sanabria-Robles, Krystal Welsh and Alex Witt will provide experience and leadership to the group, while sophomores Nicole Medvitz, Tina Postiglione and Emma Sibson will look to continue their emergence as regulars in the lineup.
The newcomers include: Lauren Li, Chanen Raygoza, Oni Timothy and Briannah Tsang. The quartet all have the ability to compete in the all-around and, like the freshmen class in 2014, will be looked at to contribute during their first seasons on campus.
Solid Showing at NCAA Summit
In their 17th appearance at the NCAA Championships in 2014, Penn State posted their fourth highest team score ever at the NCAA's highest level.
The Blue and White compiled a 194.825 to finish 12th in the 12-team field inside the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex.
The Lions tied for their highest NCAA Championships score on the floor exercise (49.175), equaling the 2000 team's effort from the second semifinal in Boise, Idaho.
Their 48.925 on the vault ranks second behind only the 2009 squads score from the first semifinal in Lincoln, Neb.
The 48.650 on the uneven bars is fifth in the school's NCAA Championship record books. The 1998 squad owns the school's best showing on the event at 49.125 in the second semifinal in Los Angeles.
The balance beam performance also ranks among the top-10 in school history. Their 48.075 sits eighth among Penn State's 17 NCAA Championship scores.
The current scoring system has been used since the 1991 NCAA Championship event, meaning 12 of the Nittany Lions competitions have come under the current system.
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 196.850 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
Sanabria-Robles, Welsh Look to Build on 2014 All-B1G Honors
After helping the program to the first 20-win regular season in school history, Sidney Sanabria-Robles and Krystal Welsh each earned All-Big Ten Second Team accolades.
The duo will now look to turn their honors into first team nods in 2015 and help the program advance to back-to-back NCAA Championships for the first time since 1999 & 2000.
Sanabria-Robles competed in the all-around at all 14 meets last season and finished among the NCAA Top-75 on the vault (T66), balance beam (T61) and all-around (T31).
Welsh owned the team's top all-around scored in 2014 and was among the NCAA Top-75 on the vault (T66), floor exercise (T55) and in the all-around (34). She scored 39.500 in the all-around at the Big Ten Championships and tied for the team-best score on the floor exercise with a 9.925 in a home quad meet with Cornell, Southeast Missouri State and UIC.
Carroll Ready for 2015 After Injury Filled 2014 Season
Junior Lexi 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.
She exhibitioned on the balance beam and floor exercise vs. the Illini and the next weekend entered the balance beam lineup at Rutgers w/ Temple and Ursinus on Feb. 22.
She was in the floor exercise lineup in the final home meet of the season vs. Bridgeport, Western Michigan and Yale, scoring 9.750 on Feb. 28.
However, the next weekend at New Hampshire on March 8, she suffered an Achillies injury and missed the remaining five meets of the season.
Carroll is now healthy and ready for her final season, working hard this summer and fall to get back into top form and lead the 2015 squad with a unique view on the sport she loves.
Sibson Vaults Into Record Books
Freshman Emma Sibson didn't know when or how her 2014 season would start after an offseason injury, but the freshman 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.
The First Team to Twenty
The 2014 edition of the Nittany Lions became the first group of gymnasts to crack the 20-win plateau during the regular season in school history.
With two victories at the Big Ten Quad in Ann Arbor, Mich., the team moved past the 2007 squad for the most regular season victories in school history.
The 2007 team finished the year with a 19-4 overall mark and finished third at the NCAA Regional Championships.
Last season, Penn State finished fifth at the Big Ten Championships, but followed that up with a second place showing, behind eventual co-national champion Florida, at the NCAA Regional and advanced to the NCAA Championships for the 17th time in program history.
Top 5 Single Season Victories
20-3 2014
19-4 2007
18-5 2005
17-3 1982
16-0 1981
16-3 1991
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 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 132-97 record.
In his fifth season at the helm of Penn State, Thompson has earned 60 regular season victories and is 60-15 overall. Add that to his 72 wins while at Auburn and the Highland Heights, Ky., native sits at 132 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 on March 15 in the Big Ten Quad in Ann Arbor.
The previous school record was held by the 2007 squad, which finished 19-4 and placed third at the NCAA Regional Championships.
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.