Feb. 11, 2016
By Miranda Kulp, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Freshman Wyatt Tyndall of the Penn State men's gymnastic squad recently left Happy Valley to travel north to Canada to compete in the Elite Canada Artistic Championships in Nova Scotia last weekend.
Originally from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Tyndall is use to competing in Canada and has already made a name for himself both there and at Penn State. Before representing the Blue and White, Tyndall was a member of the Canadian National Team and was a three-time Provincial all-around champion.
"He's really developing into a great gymnast," said head coach Randy Jepson. "Whether he's competing for us or internationally, he's always willing to give it his all. I think he's going to do great things here at Penn State but also think it was a good experience for him to compete individually in Canada to see where stacks up."
In the competition Tyndall placed 11th out of 39 gymnasts and despite not winning any medals he returned to State College with valuable experience.
"It was definitely different to compete individually again but I'm excited to be back here with the guys," said Tyndall. "Usually there's my team always cheering me on and yelling while at individual competitions it's always a lot quieter. I love the competitions and both style meets have very different atmospheres.
"Overall I would say it was a great learning experience," continue Tyndall. "Like any competition it had its ups and downs but I got to walk away with more experience and saw what I needed to continue to work on for the season."
Since joining the Nittany Lions, Tyndall has scored a 14.400 on the floor exercises, 14.650 on vault, and 13.900 on the high bars. Going further than his stats, Tyndall is known for his dedication and fearlessness whenever he's training in the gym.
"I think he has a bright future in this sport. One of my favorite things about him is he's brave and always willing to try new routines," said Jepson. In this sport you have to be fearless to be great and I see that in Wyatt when he trains." Although he's just a freshman, he's already showing great progress and potential to be a strong leader for the team.
"One of my favorite things about Wyatt is that he's not only a good athlete but more importantly he's a great human being," he added. "He's always willing to push himself to improvement and is such a joy to be around."
Whether it's for the Blue and White or individually competing in Canada, Tyndall is constantly looking to improve his skills and sharpen his routines.
"I always want to get better with every day I train and it makes it even better when I can help out my team in getting a win," said Tyndall.
Up next for Tyndall and the rest of the Blue and White is an away meet against Big Ten rivals, Ohio State. The Lions will be facing the Buckeyes on Saturday Feb 13, in Columbus, Ohio at 4:00 p.m.