After a season of chasing their full potential during every practice and competition, the Nittany Lions pulled ahead of their conference opponents and secured the team victory at the 2019 Big Ten Championships in Iowa City, Iowa.
The team's victory, the first since 2015, was not easy to come by. Changes regarding scheduling, team mindset and training have all been implemented with a singular goal of improvement for the team. These changes evidently paid off, but much of the Big Ten victory is owed to a newfound grit head coach Randy Jepson said had been missing in previous seasons.
Jepson continually emphasizes the importance of a solid mindset in the sport, recently focusing on three key words with his team: Family, Relentless, Fun. These words were written on a chalkboard in the Nittany Lions' practice gym during preparation for Big Ten's, ensuring they would be a focus for the team at such a crucial phase of the season.
"I just really wanted them to have some joy when they competed, and they did that and had a blast," Jepson said. "That translated to great results."
The team's embodiment of having fun and enjoying their sport was most evident during a bye rotation at the Big Ten competition. The gymnasts have always made it a point to not watch opponents during their break from competition so not to psych themselves out, and the bye at Big Ten's came at a crucial time during competition. While the Nittany Lions' pommel horse competitors warmed up for the next rotation, the rest of the team opted for a game of charades.
Redshirt senior Noah Roberson understood the importance of staying in a winning mindset, as he was preparing to compete on rings after the bye.
"It's a tough situation," Roberson said. "You have that momentum and then have to sit there for 15 minutes. It's hard not to look at other teams."
The Nittany Lions scored a 68.150 on the pommel horse, highlighted by Stephen Nedoroscik scoring 14.950 for his routine. With Illinois and Michigan trailing closely, the title would come down to Penn State's performance on rings.
"The guys were hungry," Jepson said. "They weren't going to give up easy on Friday night."
Sophomore Parker Clayton was one of the competitors on rings for Penn State, but he didn't let the high intensity of a conference championship meet shake him and he scored a 14.050.
"I had a job to do, I didn't think about scores," Clayton said. "I didn't look at the scoreboard once. We just focus on ourselves."
In one of the last performances of the night, Noah Roberson added a 14.300 to the Nittany Lions' overall total.
"I had to go for it all, not be conservative and do what I usually do," Roberson said. "Our whole squad was right there next to the rings, it's one of those moments I'll cherish for a while."
Roberson, Clayton and the team are now preparing for the NCAA Championships in Champaign, Illinois April 19 and 20.
The team is prepared to put in countless hours of hard work before heading to NCAAs, balancing the last few weeks of classes with the most important weeks of the collegiate gymnastics season.
For Roberson and the other seniors, this last meet will conclude their gymnastics career for the Blue and White. Roberson sees their recent victory as an indicator for how they will compete at the next level.
"I think we're the most dangerous guys," Roberson said. "We've got nothing to lose. We've already got the conference championships behind us."
