UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The No. 20 Penn State Women's Gymnastics team travels to the Little Boston Invitational on Saturday to compete against No. 32 Temple and Towson. The meet begins at 7:30 p.m. at the John B. Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center.
The Nittany Lions, led by Head Coach Sarah Brown, are coming off a 197.175-194.450 setback at No. 5 Utah. However, Penn State posted a 49.000 on beam, its highest in a season opener since 2014 vs. Alabama (49.125). That was the nation's ninth-highest score on beam last week.
Temple, coached by Josh Nilson, went 1-2 at the Alabama Quad Meet to open its season. The Owls posted a 191.925, defeating Southeast Missouri State but falling to Alabama and Northern Illinois.
Towson, led by Head Coach Vicki May, makes its season debut this weekend. The Tigers went 15-19 in dual meets last season.
There is no live stream or live scoring for the event. Please follow the action on our social media pages on Facebook (PennStateWomensGymnastics) and Twitter/Instagram (@pennstatewgym).
SCOUTING THE OWLS, TIGERS
No. 32 Temple started the year with a 191.925-point performance at the Alabama Quad Meet, where the Owls went 1-2.
The Owls earned a 48.075 on vault, 48.525 on bars, 47.050 on beam and 48.275 on floor.
Jazmyn Estrella led the Owls with a 9.825 on bars and tied with Jaylene Everett for the team's top score on vault (9.700). Delaney Garin led Temple on beam with a 9.600, while India Anderson paced the squad with a 9.775 on floor.
Towson finished the 2018 season ranked 44th in RQS by RoadToNationals, averaging a 195.165. The Tigers had a 15-19 record in dual meets.
The Tigers return two All-EAGL selections. Senior Cortni Baker was first-team on vault, while junior Mary Elle Arduino was second-team on beam and all-around.
LIONS SHINE ON BEAM
Penn State had a strong opening-week performance on beam.
In its final rotation of the meet at No. 5 Utah, the Nittany Lions posted a 49.000. That was PSU's highest score on beam in a season opener since 2004 against Alabama (49.125).
Senior Mason Hosek led the PSU rotation with a 9.850, finishing second in the event. Freshman Jessie Bastardi placed fifth with a 9.825, while sophomore Tess McCracken set a career high with a 9.800. Senior Kristen Politz earned a 9.775 while Lauren Bridgens tallied a 9.750.
The Nittany Lions posted the nation's ninth-best beam score last weekend and the best in the Big Ten.
STRONG DEBUTS
Three Penn State newcomers competed in their first collegiate meet last weekend.
Junior Erynne Allen tallied a 9.675 on bars after transferring to Happy Valley. She also had a 9.650 in an exhibition on floor.
Freshman Melissa Astarita collected a 9.725 for eighth place on vault and a 9.650 on floor.
Redshirt freshman Jessie Bastardi made her college debut with a strong 9.825 on beam, placing fifth in the event. She also recorded a 9.475 in an exhibition on vault.
NATIONALLY RANKED NITS
In addition to having the ninth-best beam score in the nation, Penn State is also 13th on bars and 24th on vault.
Sophomore Lauren Bridgens is tied for 23rd in the nation on bars after posting a 9.850 last Saturday. That is the sixth-highest mark in the Big Ten.
On beam, Mason Hosek sits No. 26 (9.850) in the country and No. 4 in the Big Ten and Jessie Bastardi is tied for No. 42 (9.825) nationally and is ninth in the conference.
On floor, Sabrina Garcia and Bridgens are tied 40th in the nation (9.825) and sixth in the Big Ten.
In all-around, Bridgens is tied for 22nd in the nation (39.125), while Garcia is tied for 43rd (38.225). Bridgens ranks fifth in the Big Ten and Garcia ranks 10th.
ALL-AMERICAN RETURNING
Sophomore Lauren Bridgens became the 29th All-American in program history, collecting the program's 96th All-American honor.
She was a second-team selection on Uneven Bars by the NACGC/W. A first-team All-Big Ten honoree, Bridgens won three all-around titles, three vault titles, six uneven bars titles, one beam title and one floor exercise title. She placed third in the all-around at the NCAA Regional to advance to the NCAA Championships, where she finished 29th.
Bridgens earned a perfect 10.0 on bars during the BYU Quad Meet.
BIG TEN GYMNASTS TO WATCH
Bridgens was joined by senior Sabrina Garcia being named Big Ten Gymnasts To Watch for the 2019 season.
Garcia was a second-team All-Big Ten selection in 2018 after finishing third or better in the all-around five times. She placed ninth in the all-around at the NCAA Regional. Garcia earned four uneven bars titles, one balance beam title and two floor exercise titles. She has 18 career event titles.
#RESTORETHEROAR
Bridgens and Garcia are two of 11 returners from the 2018 squad.
The group includes seniors Amber Autry, Mason Hosek, Jessica Jones and Gianna LaGuardia. Hosek owns two career event titles, including one on beam last year, while Jones has three career titles and LaGuardia won three vault titles in 2018.
Juniors Tess McCracken and Kristen Politz return to Happy Valley. Politz has one career title on floor exercise.
Alissa Bonsall, Kourtney Chinnery and Ava Verdeflor join Bridgens in the sophomore class. Bonsall earned an event title on vault last season.
WELCOME TO HAPPY VALLEY
The Nittany Lions welcomed five newcomers to the program, including two transfers.
Freshmen Melissa Astarita, Dymiana Cox and Donna Howell all joined the program. Astarita competed for Action Gymnastics in New Jersey, while Cox participated in the Junior Olympic Nationals in 2017 and 2018 as part of Parkette Gymnastics in New York. Howell competed for United Sports Academy in Pennsylvania.
Junior Erynne Allen and redshirt freshman Jessie Bastardi joined the program as transfers. Allen transferred from Kentucky where she competed in one meet as a sophomore after redshirting as a freshman. Allen earned a score of 9.525 on vault as an exhibition participant in a meet against Ball State, George Washington and Southeast Missouri State. Allen was the first Level 10 gymnast to come out of the Paulding Gymnastics club in Georgia.
Bastardi, a State College native, transferred from West Virginia. She was a Pennsylvania State Champion and National Qualifier while competing for Centre Elite Gymnastics.
PRESEASON POLL
On December 10, the Nittany Lions learned they will open the season at No. 27 in the Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association (WCGA) Poll. The preseason poll was voted on by national coaches.
The Nittany Lions ended the 2018 season ranked No. 32 in the poll, previously known as the National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches/Women (NACGC/W) poll. PSU earned wins over three ranked opponents last year: No. 35 Eastern Michigan (194.275-192.900), No. 31 West Virginia (196.650-196.075), No. 21 BYU (196.675-196.500), No. 29 Maryland (195.500-195.250) and No. 27 West Virginia (NCAA Regional, 194.900-194.400).
CHALLENGING SCHEDULE
Heading into the 2019 season, the Nittany Lions are set to face 13 opponents ranked among the Top 36. The Nittany Lions will compete against No. 3 Florida, No. 5 Utah, No. 9 Michigan, No. 11 Nebraska, No. 18 Ohio State, No. 20 Arizona State, No. 22 Illinois, No. 23 Minnesota, No. 25 NC State, No. 29 Iowa, No. 31 Maryland and No. 35 West Virginia.
Penn State will take on five teams receiving votes: Cornell, Michigan State, Rutgers, Temple and Towson.
PSU ON BTN
Two Penn State meets have been selected for Big Ten Network broadcasts.
The Nittany Lions host Ohio State on Saturday, January 19 to open the broadcast slate. The meet is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. at Rec Hall.
Penn State travels to Rutgers on Saturday, February 9 for a 7 p.m. meet. It will be broadcast live on BTN2Go with the broadcast being shown on Big Ten Network on February 10 at 10 a.m.
NEXT UP
The Nittany Lions makes their home debut on January 19 vs. Ohio State for their Big Ten opener. The meet will begin at 3:30 p.m. on Big Ten Network. The team will participate in its annual Pink Meet.
Season tickets are now being sold. Tickets are $24 for adults and $16 for youth. For more info, please visit here.
Sophomore Kourtney Chinnery