UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The No. 24 Penn State women's gymnastics team is set for its regular season finale this weekend at the West Virginia Quad Meet. The Nittany Lions will compete against No. 28 West Virginia, No. 27 NC State and No. 22 Ohio State. The meet is slated to begin at 2 p.m. at the WVU Coliseum.
Last weekend, the Nittany Lions, led by Head Coach Sarah Brown, tallied a 196.325, its third-highest of the season. PSU totaled a 48.925 on vault, 49.200 on bars, 49.175 on beam and 49.025 on floor.
Sophomore Lauren Bridgens earned a season-best 9.925 on bars to win her second bars title of the year. She also tied a career-high on beam, with a 9.900. Bridgens collected a 39.500 in all-around, her second-highest of the season.
On bars, Chinnery (9.850) and Politz (9.825) tied career highs. On floor, Garcia tied a season-high 9.875.
Follow the action on our social media pages on Facebook (PennStateWomensGymnastics) and Twitter/Instagram (@pennstatewgym).
SCOUTING THE QUAD MEET OPPONENTS
West Virginia is ranked No. 28 in the nation, with a 195.635 RQS and a 195.338 average. The Mountaineers rank 23rd in the nation on vault (48.875 average), 32nd in the nation on bars (48.920), 40th on beam (48.590) and 13th on floor (49.170).
Kirah Koshinski is ranked No. 10 in the country on vault (9.857). She also averages a 9.905 on floor, good for 17th in the country. Abby Kaufman is WVU's top performer in all-around, ranking 64th in the country (38.880 average).
NC State sits No. 27 in the nation, owning a 195.715 RQS and a 195.345 average. The Wolfpack ranks 32nd on vault (38.750 average), 28th on bars (48.902), 27th on beam (48.739) and 31st on floor (48.955).
Drew Grantham leads NC State in all-around, averaging a 38.757, ranking 50th in the nation. She is also 29th on vault (9.770).
Ohio State is ranked No. 22 in the nation with a 195.985 RQS and a 195.553 average. The Buckeyes rank 26th on vault (48.910 average), 17th on bars (49.088), 24th on beam (48.733) and 36th on floor (48.823).
In all-around, Jamie Stone ranks 48th in the nation (38.920). She's also OSU's top competitor on beam (9.738) and floor (9.740). Olivia Aepli is OSU's top performer on vault (9.810), while Jenna Swartzentruber is 39th in the country on bars (9.857).
FLORIDA MEET RECAP
The Nittany Lions totaled a 196.325 at No. 3 Florida, but the Gators tallied a 198.025.
Penn State started the meet with a 49.200 on bars, its sixth 49 or above this season.
Sophomore Lauren Bridgens posted a season-high 9.925 on bars, winning her second bars event title of the year. Sophomore Kourtney Chinnery (9.850) and junior Kristen Politz (9.825) each tied their career highs.
On vault, the blue and white scored a 48.925, led by Chinnery's 9.850.
Penn State earned a 49.025 on floor, its seventh 49 or above of the season. Garcia tied a season-high with a 9.875, while Bridgens recorded a 9.850.
The Nittany Lions finished the meet with a 49.175 on beam, its fourth 49 or above this season.
Bridgens enjoyed a career-high performance, earning a 9.900. Jessie Bastardi added a 9.875.
BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS
For the first time since 2014, the Nittany Lions will host the Big Ten Championships at Rec Hall. On Saturday, March 23, Penn State will welcome the rest of the Big Ten for two sessions, with the first at noon and the second at 5 p.m.
With its top three finish in the Friday session of the Big Five meet, the Nittany Lions clinched a spot in the evening session. PSU will compete against Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota and Nebraska. In the noon session will be Maryland, Michigan State, Ohio State and Rutgers.
SETTING THE BAR
Penn State has enjoyed a strong effort on bars this season, ranking 13th in the nation, with a 49.200 RQS.
The Nittany Lions have posted seven scores of 49.000 or above this year, led by its 49.300 in the Quad Meet. That followed a 49.250 at the Big Five Meet.
PSU has accomplished a 49.000 or above in three straight meets, including the Big Five Meet, the Quad Meet and a 49.200 at Florida.
Senior Sabrina Garcia has PSU's top score on bars, a career-high 9.950 against Ohio State. Sophomore Lauren Bridgens had a season-best 9.925 against Florida and two 9.900's. Junior Tess McCracken had a career-high 9.900 vs. Ohio State and sophomore Alissa Bonsall matched Bridgens' 9.900 at the Big Five Meet.
STRONG ON FLOOR
The Nittany Lions have also enjoyed a solid year on floor, also achieving a 49.000 or above in seven meets, led by their 49.350 in their quad meet. PSU has reached at least a 49.000 in three straight meets.
Penn State also earned a 49.000 or above against Temple/Towson (49.025), Ohio State (49.000), Minnesota (49.275), Illinois (49.075), at the Big Five Meet (49.000) and at Florida (49.025).
Freshman Melissa Astarita holds the blue and white's top mark on floor with a 9.900 against Temple and Towson. She matched that score in the quad meet. Garcia's season-best 9.875 came against Illinois and at the Big Five Meet, while Alissa Bonsall and Lauren Bridgens each had a career-best 9.875 in the quad meet.
ANN CARR HONORS
The Nittany Lions present the Ann Carr Award, named after the two-time national champion, to the most inspirational gymnast of each home meet.
Lauren Bridgens (Ohio State), Mason Hosek (Minnesota), Sabrina Garcia (Michigan) and Tess McCracken (Quad Meet) have all won the award this season.
GARCIA NAMED AAI AWARD NOMINEE
Sabrina Garcia was selected as a nominee for the AAI Award, given to the nation's outstanding senior. She is one of 25 athletes, including five from the Big Ten.
She is currently ranked 52nd in the nation in all-around and 39th on bars.
In 2019, Garcia has won five event titles, including two all-around, two bars and one floor. She has earned PSU's top all-around score four times this season.
EVENT TITLES
As a team, Penn State has won 15 event titles this season. PSU has won five titles on floor, four on bars, four on beam and two on vault.
The Nittany Lions have won 18 individual event titles, including five all-around.
Sophomore Lauren Bridgens has won six individual titles: all-around against Ohio State (39.300), at the Big Five Meet (39.425) and in the quad meet (39.400), vault against Minnesota (9.900) and bars at the Big Five Meet (9.900) and at Florida (9.925).
Senior Sabrina Garcia has earned five individual titles this year, including bars against Temple/Towson (9.900) and Ohio State (9.950) as well as a floor title (9.875) and all-around title against Illinois (39.250) and all-around at Rutgers (39.325).
Freshman Melissa Astarita has won two floor titles. One against Temple/Towson (9.900) and one in the quad meet (9.900). Sophomore Alissa Bonsall won bars titles against Illinois (9.850) and at the Big Five Meet (9.900). Freshman Jessie Bastardi and junior Tess McCracken tied for the beam title at Rutgers (9.925). Sophomore Kourtney Chinnery won her first career event title on vault (9.875) at the Big Five Meet.
NATIONALLY RANKED NITS
As a team, Penn State currently ranks 13th in the nation on bars, with a 49.200 RQS, and ranks among the Top 30 on three events.
On bars, Bridgens is tied for 31st in the nation, and ranks sixth in the Big Ten, with a 9.885 RQS. Garcia is tied for 39th in the country and seventh in the conference with a 9.875 RQS.
In all-around, Bridgens is fourth in the Big Ten and 20th in the nation with a 39.355 RQS, while Garcia is tied 52nd nationally and sits 10th in the Big Ten with a 39.085 RQS.
BALANCED EFFORT
Penn State has achieved a 49.000 or higher in all four events so far this season.
The Nittany Lions have three scores of 49.000 or above on vault, seven scores over 49.100 on bars, four on beam and seven 49.000 or above scores on floor.
The Nittany Lions also have a different high-scoring athlete for each event.
Sophomore Lauren Bridgens has the team's top vault (9.900), while senior Sabrina Garcia owns the team's top bars performance (9.950).
Freshman Jessie Bastardi and junior Tess McCracken share the team's top beam effort (9.925) and freshman Melissa Astarita has the team's top floor score (9.900).
Sophomore Lauren Bridgens has the top all-around score with a 39.525.
CHALLENGING SCHEDULE
The Nittany Lions will finish the regular season having competed in meets against 14 opponents ranked among the Top 40 of the RoadToNationals standings. Penn State already competed against No. 5 Utah, No. 32 Temple, No. 17 Ohio State, No. 22 Minnesota, No. 34 Illinois No. 8 Michigan, No. 15 Nebrasa, No. 32 Maryland, No. 40 Iowa, No. 21 Arizona State and No. 3 Florida.
Penn State will finish the regular season this weekend against No. 22 Ohio State, No. 27 NC State and No. 28 West Virginia.
Sophomore Kourtney Chinnery