2019 Schedule
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State Women's Gymnastics team has announced its 2019 schedule. The Nittany Lions, led by Head Coach Sarah Brown, will compete in 11 meets, including four home contests. Penn State will host the 2019 Big Ten Championships on Saturday, March 23 in Rec Hall.
Penn State opens the slate with a trip to Utah on Saturday, January 5 at 6 p.m. The Utes ranked No. 5 in the final NCAA rankings after reaching the NCAA Championships Super Six meet. Utah went 8-2 in dual meets. The Nittany Lions take on the Utes for the first time since 2010.
The Nittany Lions travel to Boston on Saturday, January 12 for the Little Boston Invitational, which starts at 7:30 p.m. The Blue and White will meet Rutgers, Temple and Towson. Penn State topped Rutgers twice last year, once in the Big Five Qualifier and once in the Big Ten Championships. The Nittany Lions defeated Temple, 196.650-194.250, in 2018. PSU will meet Towson for the first time since 2013.
Penn State begins its Big Ten, and home schedule, on Saturday, January 19 against Ohio State. The meet will begin at 3:30 p.m. The Buckeyes placed fifth at the 2018 Big Ten Championships and finished 18th in the NCAA rankings. Ohio State finished the year with a 12-7 mark.
The home slate continues on Saturday, January 26 as the Nittany Lions welcome Minnesota for a double dual beginning at 4 p.m. The Golden Gophers held sixth place at the Big Ten Championships last season and finished 22nd in the NCAA rankings. Minnesota went 15-7 overall.
The Blue and White visits Illinois on Saturday, February 2 for a 2 p.m. meet. The Illini ranked 19th in the NCAA poll and finished third in the Big Ten with a 17-5 dual meet record.
Penn State travels to Rutgers on Friday, February 8 for a 7 p.m. meet. The Scarlet Knights were 9-20 in dual meets last season and finished ninth at the Big Ten Championships.
The Nittany Lions take on Michigan on Saturday, February 16 at 4 p.m. in Rec Hall. The Wolverines went 15-2-1 in dual meets on its way to a Big Ten title in 2018. Michigan ranked 13th in the nation.
Penn State competes in the Big Five Qualifier on February 22 in Toledo. The event will be held at a neutral site for the first time ever and has now been moved up to the last weekend of February instead of the last weekend before the Big Ten Championships. The Nittany Lions will matchup with Iowa, Maryland, Michigan State and Nebraska. Penn State topped Michigan State twice last season and split two meets with Maryland. At the Big Ten Championships, Nebraska and Iowa placed second and fourth, respectively, while Maryland placed eighth and Michigan State finished 10th. The Cornhuskers reached the NCAA Championships Super Six meet, finishing sixth.
The Nittany Lions welcome three opponents on March 2 as it hosts Arizona State, Cornell and Yale at 4 p.m. The Sun Devils finished sixth in the Pac-12 last season, placing third at the NCAA Regional in University Park. The Nittany Lions knocked off Cornell, 195.325-192.400, last season. Yale won the ECAC Championship for the second straight season.
Penn State takes on Florida on Friday, March 8 at 6:45 p.m. in Gainesville. The Gators went 8-2 in dual meets and tied for second in the SEC standings. Florida finished third in the NCAA Championships Super Six meet, claiming the No. 3 ranking in the NCAA.
The Nittany Lions close out the regular season on Sunday, March 17 at West Virginia for a 2 p.m. meet. Penn State topped the Mountaineers twice in 2018, both while WVU had Top 35 rankings. PSU defeated No. 31 West Virginia, 196.650-196.075, on March 4 and bettered the No. 27 Mountaineers, 194.900-194.400, in the NCAA Regional on April 7.
Penn State will host the 2018 Big Ten Championships at Rec Hall on Saturday, March 23. The first session will begin at Noon with the second session at 5 p.m. Penn State last hosted the Big Ten Championships in 2014.
The Nittany Lions went 11-8 in Brown's first season in Happy Valley, finishing the season with a No. 32 ranking. Penn State returns 13 members from the 2018 squad, including All-American sophomore Lauren Bridgens and All-Big Ten senior Sabrina Garcia.
