Feb. 21, 2018
By Maria Evangelou, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Senior Briannah Tsang is a force to be reckoned with. A true asset on the team, the gymnast holds countless personal titles and has brought skill and leadership to the Nittany Lions. The only active senior on the team, Tsang continues to make great strides in her final season as a collegiate athlete, as well as contributing her expertise to her teammates. This weekend, it is Tsang's turn to be celebrated for Penn State's annual senior day meet.
"She brings great competitive leadership, but also great vocal leadership in the gym," head coach Sarah Brown said. "She's been here obviously four years and seen a variety of different coaching styles and a number of different athletes come through the program, so she's very level-headed and I think she has the ability to see things big picture, which I very much appreciate. I think it's nice to have somebody who's got a calm head like that leading our team."
While her teammates and coaches will agree that Tsang is a kind and determined athlete, they'll also say she wasn't always the robust leader she has developed into.
"I think she's become a stronger vocal leader this year," Brown said. "She knows exactly when an athlete or teammate needs something, and she's always there helping them out. I imagine there is a little bit of pressure on her, she had an incredible year as a junior, so there's heightened expectations going into her senior year."
Being the lone active member of her class on the squad, Tsang has had to take on a role that she wasn't quite familiar with, guiding her younger teammates as the season has progressed.
"I definitely feel like I have to be more vocal this year," Tsang said. "I'm usually the one leading by example, so I guess there's just more pressure to be more vocal and lead the team in the direction that I hope to see them go moving forward."
In her four years with Penn State gymnastics, Tsang reflects on times where she admired and took advice from other seniors before her. Now, over halfway through her final season, she is making sure to soak in every moment with the team.
"I always looked up to all the seniors," Tsang said. "When I was a freshman, we had this whole senior class, and looking back, they would tell me that I need to enjoy all the memories because they go by so fast."
Her freshman year, Tsang was named 2015 Big Ten Co-Freshman of the Year, becoming the fourth Penn State gymnast to earn at least a share of the title. Outside of her accomplishments, Tsang reflects on memories with the team present and past as her senior day approaches with the spotlight on her.
"There was a meet my sophomore year that stood out to me, the alumni meet," Tsang said. "There were so many people there who came back, and everyone in the bar lineup stuck their dismount. There was this increasing excitement as we went through all the routines, and it really stood out to me."
The entire women's gymnastics program had to adjust as a new coaching staff took over in 2017, a big change for Tsang specifically as she prepared for her final year. Fortunately, the change has led to an exciting final season.
"Coming into this year, I didn't really know what to expect, because it kind of felt like I was a freshman again," Tsang said. "But our relationship has really grown throughout the season. It's been exciting, I love it."
"It's been great getting to know her," Brown said. "She and I have gotten a lot closer as the competitive season has started, because I'm able to rely on her for some insight as far as what's going on with the team. I think she's incredible level-headed, so she's not too quick to judge or make really strong statements either way, she just likes to take her time and see both sides of the situation before she makes any judgments. We have a really good working relationship, we're at a point right now where I trust her ability, and I think she trusts me, so if there's a practice where we need to take It a little bit lighter, or a practice where we need to push it a little bit more, she completely understands what the staff wants out of her. She's been able to pace herself really well throughout the season."
Originally from Vancouver, Tsang also competes internationally for Canada's gymnastics team. She posted an eighth-place showing in the all-around at the 2014 Canadian National Championships, winning vault crown and placing eighth on the uneven bars. The year before in 2013, she was the champion on vault in the Elite Canada competition. Competing for two prestigious teams certainly keeps the senior busy.
"Being that she competed internationally this summer, I think her body saw a little bit more pounding than what we would have normally seen had she taken a break in the summer," Brown said. "So, it has been really important that we communicate well and make sure she's able to withstand the rigorous season week in and week out, especially considering that she competes all-around all the time."
Before her senior year, Tsang had earned 41 career event titles. But Tsang proved that her best days were ahead of her, and not at all behind.
"She has really started to shine on beam," Brown said. "She's become a consistent 9.9 or 9.85 competitor for us on beam, and I would say that she's probably the one that we feel the most confident with in that position. She's improved her bar dismount a ton, and she continues to shine on bars and floor as well. She anchors three out of four of our lineups, so she is definitely somebody that we can rely on and trust, and I hope that her senior year has been everything that she wants it to be."
Against Michigan in early February, Tsang won the vault (9.850), floor exercise (9.925), and the all-around (39.475) - all with season-best scores. In addition to her three titles, Tsang tied for second on the balance beam (9.850) and she tied for fifth on the uneven bars (9.850). That same week, Tsang finished second on beam against Ohio State, tying with another season-best 9.900. In a tri-meet against Penn and Cornell most recently, Tsang posted a 9.835 on vault to win the event. Following a Big Ten Co-Gymnast of the Week title earlier this season, Tsang was also honored as a Big Ten Gymnast of the Week for the second consecutive year.
"The first five or six meets she did incredible, and won the all-around a few times in a row," Brown said. "She had a fall this past weekend, and I think that needs to happen at some point. You can't expect someone to be perfect all the time, so having that little mistake on beam may have been the break that she needed and help her re-focus going into her senior night."
Tsang says it always comes down to one thing, and that's her love for the sport itself.
"Just being able to compete is amazing," Tsang said. "I came in as a freshman being afraid to compete, but now I love it and I live for it. Also, I think bars have improved for me. I came in here not really wanting to do bars, but Dallas [Becerra] has made me love it."
With four meets left in the regular season, reality is settling in for Tsang.
"I'm looking forward to enjoying every moment while it lasts."
Penn State will host George Washington in a double dual meet with the men on Saturday, Feb. 24. The meet is slated for a 4 pm start time in Rec Hall.