UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The No. 31 Penn State women's gymnastics team is set for a matchup at No. 10 Nebraska on Thursday in its Big Ten opener. The teams will battle on a national stage with a broadcast on ESPN2 at 7 p.m. ET, featuring John Roethlisberger and Bridget Sloan on the call.
Penn State, led by Head Coach Sarah Brown, earned a 195.750-195.325 victory over West Virginia in its home opener last Saturday.
Freshman Cassidy Rushlow won the all-around (39.250) and bars (9.925) titles in her first career home meet. She also tied with junior Tess McCracken for the team-high on beam (9.875). Rushlow's 9.925 on bars is the top score in the Big Ten this season and the eighth-best bars score in the nation this season.
Alissa Bonsall had a team-best 9.825 on vault, while Lauren Bridgens clinched the win with a 9.825 in the final routine on floor.
Nebraska split two dual meets last week, falling against BYU (195.750-195.600) and knocking off Southern Utah (196.375-195.275).
Follow along with the action on our social media pages on Facebook (PennStateWomensGymnastics) and Twitter/Instagram (@pennstatewgym).
NITTANY LIONS ON NATIONAL STAGE
Penn State's matchup with Nebraska will be the first of two matchups on national networks this season. The Nittany Lions' home meet against No. 35 Iowa on January 25 will be broadcast on Big Ten Network at 4 p.m.
SCOUTING THE CORNHUSKERS
Nebraska is led by Head Coach Heather Brink, in her second year leading the program after serving as associate head coach for the three previous seasons. The Huskers opened the season at BYU, falling 195.750-195.600, but bounced back with a 196.375-195.275 victory over Southern Utah.
Nebraska currently ranks 13th in the nation on vault (49.000 avg), 27th on bars (48.688), 11th on beam (49.075) and seventh on floor (49.225), while leading the Big Ten on floor.
Taylor Houchin has the Huskers' top averages in all-around (38.950) and on vault (9.913) and bars (9.850). She leads the nation on vault after recording a 9.975 against Southern Utah. Sierra Hassel ranks seventh in the nation on floor and leads the Big Ten with a 9.925 average. She also has Nebraska's top average on beam (9.900).
Nebraska finished third at the Big Ten Championships last season and reached the final of the Ann Arbor Regional.
WEST VIRGINIA MEET RECAP
The Nittany Lions recorded a 195.750 to earn a win in their home opener over West Virginia. The 195.750 was Penn State's highest in a home opener since 2013 vs. Cornell, Illinois-Chicago and Southeast Missouri State (196.025).
Penn State secured a 49.300 on bars, the Nittany Lions' top bars score in a home opener since a 49.350 vs. New Hampshire in 2001.
The blue and white tallied a 49.025 on beam, a 48.750 on vault and a 48.675 on floor.
Freshman Cassidy Rushlow captured the all-around title with a 39.250. She also claimed the bars title with a 9.925. Rushlow also tied with Tess McCracken for PSU's top score on beam (9.875).
Alissa Bonsall had PSU's highest score on vault, while Lauren Bridgens had the top score on floor (9.825). With the Nittany Lions trailing 195.325-195.250 heading into their final routine on floor, Bridgens' clutch 9.825 sealed the victory.
SETTING THE BAR
The Nittany Lions enjoyed a strong performance on bars against West Virginia, tallying a 49.300. It was PSU's highest bars score in a home opener since 2001 and its highest bars score since a 49.350 in its quad meet last season vs. Arizona State, Cornell and Yale.
The 49.300 is the highest team bars score in the Big Ten this season and is tied for the fifth-highest in the nation.
Rushlow led the Nittany Lions with a 9.925, the eighth-highest bars score in the nation this season and the highest in the Big Ten. Bridgens earned a season-best 9.875, while McCracken picked up a 9.850. Juniors Kourtney Chinnery and Ava Verdeflor each posted a 9.825.
NATIONALLY RANKED NITS
As a team, Penn State ranks 13th in the country, and fifth in the Big Ten, on bars, averaging a 49.075. The Nittany Lions sit 22nd in the country on beam, good for fifth in the Big Ten, with a 48.888 average.
Bridgens' 39.088 average in all-around ranks 33rd in the country and sixth in the Big Ten. The junior also ranks 48th in the nation on bars with a 9.838 average.
Rushlow's 9.850 average on beam holds 41st in the nation. Rushlow's 39.250 in all-around against WVU is the fifth-highest score in the Big Ten this season.
B1G GYMNASTS TO WATCH
Junior Lauren Bridgens and freshman Cassidy Rushlow were named Big Ten Gymnasts To Watch.
Bridgens is one of 15 Nittany Lions to earn multiple first-team All-Big Ten nods in their career. She set career highs in 2019 in all-around (39.525), beam (9.900) and floor (9.875).
Rushlow signed with the Nittany Lions after competing for Daggett Gold Medal Gymnastics in Massachusetts. At the 2019 Massachusetts State Championships, she claimed the all-around, vault and beam titles.
BROWN BEGINS THIRD SEASON
Head Coach Sarah Brown enters her third year leading the Nittany Lions. In 2019, Brown led PSU to a 10-9 record and a No. 24 ranking, its highest finish since 2015. Penn State placed fifth at the Big Ten Championships and third in Session I of the NCAA Regional.
The Nittany Lions went 11-8 in Brown's first season in 2018.
Ashleigh Gnat joined the PSU coaching staff in July 19 after spending two seasons as a Graduate Assistant at LSU. As an athlete, Gnat was a 17-time All-American and won the 2017 National Title on floor.
#FORTHEROAR
The Nittany Lions return 11 members from the 2019 squad. The returners include 2019 NCAA beam qualifier sophomore Jessie Bastardi and 2018 NCAA qualifier junior Lauren Bridgens. The returning 11 athletes have combined for 32 career event titles, led by Bridgens' 21.
Senior Erynne Allen, junior Alissa Bonsall and senior Tess McCracken were named team captains.
PSU welcomed freshmen Amy Bladon, Bella Romagnano and Cassidy Rushlow.
CHALLENGING SCHEDULE
No. 31 Penn State will take on a challenging 2020 schedule. The Nittany Lions took on No. 21 Arizona State, No. 13 Auburn and No. 7 Denver at the Collegiate Challenge and now-No. 24 West Virginia in Saturday's home opener.
Home meet opponents include: No. 35 Iowa, No. 33 Rutgers, NC State, Cornell, Towson and No. 2 Florida. On the road, PSU will battle No. 10 Nebraska, No. 13 Illinois, No. 36 Ohio State, No. 8 Maryland, No. 16 Michigan, Michigan State, No. 6 Minnesota and No. 32 Arkansas.
PENN STATE HOSTING NCAA REGIONAL
The Nittany Lions are set to host an NCAA Regional on April 2-4 in Rec Hall. Penn State last hosted an NCAA Regional in 2018.
In a new format, installed in 2019, the regional has expanded to a three-day event. Day one (Thursday, April 2) will feature a dual-meet between the two lowest ranked teams with the winner advancing to a quad meet on Friday. Day two will include two quad meets with the top two teams from each advancing to Saturday's regional final quad meet.
