UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The No. 7 Penn State men's gymnastics team heads west this weekend for a non-conference meet at Air Force Academy on Saturday at 6 p.m. (ET). The meet will be held in Cadet West Gym.
Admission to the meet is free. It will also be streamed live on GoAirForceFalcons.com.
SERIES HISTORY
Penn State is 2-0 in the all-time series with Air Force. The Lions beat the Falcons in 1966 and 2019. The Lions won five individual events in the meet last season, which also included Navy. Four of those events were won by current Penn State gymnasts – Stephen Nedoroscik (pommel horse), Isaac Hammett (rings), Brennan Pantazis (vault) and Sam Zakutney (high bar).
NATIONAL RANKINGS
Penn State ranks seventh nationally with an average score of 399.883, while Air Force is 17th with an average of 375.650.
LAST TIME OUT
Penn State won a closely contested meet over Ohio State 405.900-405.000 in the Big Ten opener for both teams. The Lions received first-place finishes from Stephen Nedoroscik on pommel horse (15.350), Isaac Hammett on rings (13.950), Brennan Pantazis on vault (14.500) and Sam Zakutney on parallel bars (14.350).
SCOUTING AIR FORCE
Air Force is 2-5 after finishing third in a tri-meet with Cal and Stanford. Noah Everett has been the team's top performer, averaging 13.200 on pommel horse, which ranks 24th in the nation.
HAMMETT UNBEATEN ON RINGS
Isaac Hammett has the third-best average (13.963) in the nation on rings this season and is tied for the best single routine (14.350) of the season. He finished first in the team portion of the West Point Open, the individual finals of the West Point Open, at home against Army West Point and at home in a Big Ten meet with Ohio State.
PENN STATE HAS BEST POMMEL HORSE IN NATION
The Lions scored the highest team pommel horse score in the nation while winning the West Point Open with a 70.400. The second best is Nebraska at 68.350
NEDOROSCIK CONTINUES TO DOMINATE
Two-time national champion Stephen Nedoroscik has been the best in the nation on pommel horse this season and it hasn't been close. He currently owns a season average of 14.838 – next best is Nebraska's Charlie Giles (14.125) – and has the best routine in the nation with a 15.5 at the West Point Open – next best is Illinois' Michael Paradise (14.850). Penn State's Favian Valdez (13.700) and Nick Mock (13.662) have the sixth- and seventh-best averages. Mock has the third-best routine of the season with a 14.450.
ZAKUTNEY MAKES RETURN
Defending Big Ten parallel bars champion Sam Zakutney made his return from an injury and made an immediate impact with a win on parallel bars against Ohio State. The senior stuck his dismount and scored 14.350, which ranks as the second-best routine in the nation this season.
TEAM EFFORT
Ten Penn State gymnasts have combined for 16 individual events wins through four competition dates (separating the team and individual portions of the West Point Open). They include: Isaac Hammett (rings 4x), Stephen Nedoroscik (pommel horse 3x), Alex Frack (high bar 2x), Brayden Borromeo (vault), Eric Lung (parallel bars), Brennan Pantazis (vault), Andres Perez Gines (high bar), Robbie Shamp (vault), Brady Yamamoto (floor) and Sam Zakutney (parallel bars).
A LOOK AT THE BIG TEN STANDINGS
Penn State, Nebraska and Minnesota are all tied for first at 1-0 in the Big Ten standings. Illinois, Ohio State and Iowa are all 0-1, while Michigan opens league competition at Ohio State on Saturday.
UP NEXT
The Lions will have a weekend off before returning to action with a non-conference home meet against William & Mary on Saturday, Feb. 15, at 4 p.m.
