March 14, 2016
Big Ten Release
ROSEMONT, Ill. - After tallying a runner-up finish at last weekend's Big Five Qualifier, a trio of Nittany Lions received All-Big Ten honors, as announced by the conference office Monday.
Junior Kiera Brown (Newport News, Va.) and sophomore Briannah Tsang (Vancouver, British Columbia) were named to the All-Big Ten First Team, while junior Nicole Medvitz (Paramus, N.J.) received All-Big Ten Second Team honors. Brown and Tsang are the 27th and 28th Nittany Lions to receive the honor of All-Big Ten First Team.
"We are so proud of these three young ladies," head coach Jeff Thompson said. "The All-Big Ten honors are well-deserved rewards for the hard work that they have put in since August. Their commitment, both in and out of the gym, has been an inspiration to their teammates and we look forward to them leading us, once again, this weekend at the Big Ten Championships in Lincoln, Neb."
Brown, in her first year with Penn State women's gymnastics, leads the Big Ten on the uneven bars with her regional qualifying score (RQS) of 9.905 and she also ranks seventh in the all-around (39.290). During her junior season, Brown captured eight event titles and four all-around titles.
In her first meet in Blue and White, Brown tied the No. 3 performance in school history on the uneven bars with her score of 9.950 against North Carolina State on Jan. 9. Brown has tallied seven of the top-11 scores for Penn State on the uneven bars this year.
Medvitz collects her first All-Big Ten honor as a Nittany Lion for her work on the balance beam during her junior year. She currently ranks seventh in the Big Ten on the balance beam with her RQS of 9.885. Throughout the 2016 season, Medvitz has led the Nittany Lions on the balance beam. Medvitz has tallied six of the top-12 scores for Penn State on the balance beam this season.
Most recently, Medvitz recorded a second-place finish on the balance beam at the Big Five Qualifier with her career-best tally of 9.975, which tied the No. 5 performance in school history. Her score Saturday is the ninth time in school history a Nittany Lion has scored 9.975 or better on the apparatus. The last Nittany Lion to do so was Meredith Hoover on Feb. 25, 2006. Heading into the meet, Medvitz' career-best on the event was 9.900. Prior to the Big Five Qualifier, Medvitz finished first or tied for first on the balance beam in four-straight meets.
Tsang, the 2015 Big Ten Co-Freshman of the Year and second team honoree, joins Brown on the All-Big Ten First Team. On the year, Tsang has won the floor exercise title four times, the vault title three times and the all-around title once.
In the Big Ten rankings heading into the Big Ten Women's Gymnastics Championships, Tsang ranks eighth on the floor exercise (9.885), is tied for ninth on the vault (9.845) and ranks 10th in the all-around (39.260).
Tsang is the Nittany Lion leader on the vault and the floor exercise this season. Tsang owns six of the top-eight vault scores for PSU and four of the top-seven floor exercise scores in 2016.
The Nittany Lions are back in action Saturday, March 19, in the night session of the Big Ten Women's Gymnastics Championships. The night session will start at 5 p.m. EDT live on the Big Ten Network inside the Bob Devaney Center in Lincoln, Neb.
FIRST TEAM*
Sunny Kato, ILL
Giana O'Connor, ILL
Mollie Drenth, IOWA
Nicole Artz, MICH
Brianna Brown, MICH
Talia Chiarelli, MICH
Olivia Karas, MICH
Austin Sheppard, MICH
Lindsay Williams, MICH
Bailie Holst, MINN
Lindsay Mable, MINN
Hanna Nordquist, MINN
Hollie Blanske, NEB
Grace Williams, NEB
Kiera Brown, PSU
Briannah Tsang, PSU
SECOND TEAM
Allie Glover, IOWA
Angel Metcalf, IOWA
Kathy Tang, MD
Lisa Burt, MSU
Elena Lagoski, MSU
Ciara Gardner, MINN
Madeline Hanley, MINN
Danielle Breen, NEB
Jennie Laeng, NEB
Kaitlynn Hofland, OSU
Alexis Mattern, OSU
Jamie Stone, OSU
Nicole Medvitz, PSU
*Additional honorees due to ties