TOLEDO, OHIO – Sophomore Lauren Bridgens won the all-around title and shared the bars title as the No. 24 Penn State women's gymnastics team recorded a 195.700 on Friday night at the Big Five meet in Toledo. The Nittany Lions finished in front of No. 32 Maryland (195.500) and Michigan State (194.525) and behind No. 40 Iowa (196.450) and No. 15 Nebraska (195.900).
By finishing in the top three in tonight's meet, Penn State has clinched a spot in the night session of the Big Ten Championships. The Nittany Lions are hosting the Big Ten Championships at Rec Hall on Saturday, March 23 with the first session at 12 p.m. and the second session at 5 p.m.
"The energy from our first event on was so authentic and real and we handled ourselves incredibly well in a big environment," said Head Coach Sarah Brown. "We had three great rotations to start the night and fought through some stumbles on beam with four strong routines to finish. Tonight really showed the progress we're making as a team."
"Kourtney [Chinnery] had a huge vault and bars performance for us," said Brown. "Our bars team was strong, vault team was strong, floor was strong. On vault, we had our best performance of the season and it felt like our best bars performance of the season. That was the most fun we've had in a meet this year and gives us a lot of optimism through the rest of the seasons and going into the Big Ten Championships."
Bridgens claimed first in the all-around, totaling a 39.425. It was Bridgens' second all-around title this season and the fifth of her career. Senior Sabrina Garcia tallied a 38.525 in all-around.
After a bye in the first rotation, the Nittany Lions earned a 49.000 on floor, their fifth time scoring a 49 or above this season. Garcia registered PSU's top score with a 9.875, tying her season high and placing third overall. Bridgens finished sixth on floor with a 9.825. Freshman Melissa Astarita and senior Mason Hosek each garnered a 9.800, with Hosek achieving a season-high. Sophomore Kourtney Chinnery recorded a 9.700 and sophomore Alissa Bonsall had an 8.850.
Iowa won the event on floor with a 49.175, while Nebraska had a 49.000. Maryland recorded a 48.925, while Michigan State registered a 48.725. Iowa's Lauren Guerin and Clair Kaji tied for the individual event title with a 9.900.
Penn State collected a 49.125 on vault, a season high, to earn the event title. It was the blue and white's highest since March 4, 2018 at the Pitt Quad Meet and PSU's second vault score above a 49.000 this season. Chinnery earned a career-high 9.875 to claim her first ever event title. Bridgens placed third on vault with a 9.850, while Bonsall's 9.825 was good for fifth. Garcia tallied a 9.800 and Astarita achieved a season-high with a 9.775. Senior Gianna LaGuardia recorded a 9.675.
Michigan State was second on vault with a 49.100 and Nebraska earned a 49.050. Maryland collected a 48.975 and Iowa registered a 48.850. Michigan State's Roya Shirley tied Chinnery for the individual event title.
The Nittany Lions also tied a season-high on bars with a 49.250. Penn State earned its fifth bars score above a 49.000 this year. Bonsall and Bridgens tied with three other athletes to claim the bars title. Bonsall tied a career high with a 9.900 for her second bars title this season, while Bridgens' 9.900 tied a season-high and won her first bars title this year and the seventh of her career. Chinnery and Garcia matched each other with a 9.825, with Chinnery achieving a career high. Junior Tess McCracken recorded a 9.800 and junior Kristen Politz tied a season-high with a 9.775.
Iowa won the event title on bars with a 49.375, led by Nicole Chow and Kaji, who tied for the individual event title. Maryland had a 49.000, while Nebraska recorded a 48.975, led by Taylor Houchin who also tied for the bars title. Michigan State tallied a 48.875.
Penn State finished the evening with a 48.325 on beam, led by Bridgens' 9.850, which tied a career-high and placed second. Freshman Jessie Bastardi finished sixth with a 9.800, while McCracken came in eighth with a 9.775. Hosek recorded a 9.725. Politz registered a 9.175 and Garcia had a 9.025.
Iowa claimed the beam title with a 49.050, paced by Kaji's event-winning 9.875. Nebraska tallied a 48.875, while Maryland had a 48.600. Michigan State recorded a 47.825.
The Nittany Lions hosts No. 19 Arizona State, Cornell and Yale for a Quad Meet on Saturday, March 2. The meet will begin at 4 p.m. The Nittany Lions will celebrate Senior Day.
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Sophomore Lauren Bridgens won the all-around title