UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The No. 31 Penn State Women's Gymnastics continues Big Ten action on Saturday as it travels to No. 13 Minnesota for a 1 p.m. meet. The meet will be live streamed on Big Ten Network+.
The Nittany Lions, coached by Sarah Brown, looks for its first win after dropping a tight 195.250-195.100 decision against No. 29 Nebraska. Penn State set or tied 10 career highs.
Sophomore Cassidy Rushlow won her second consecutive all-around title of the season, posting a career-high 39.475. She also claimed event titles on vault (9.875) and bars (9.925), tying a career high on bars. Rushlow also set a career high on floor (9.850). Junior Melissa Astarita won her second straight floor title, collecting a career-high 9.925.
Minnesota, led by Head Coach Jenny Hansen, fell 195.850-195.000 against Michigan last Friday.
Fans can follow along with the action by watching Big Ten Network+, following live scoring and checking for updates on our social media pages on Facebook (PennStateWomensGymnastics) and Twitter/Instagram (@pennstatewgym).
SERIES HISTORY
Penn State holds a 11-10 lead in the all-time series. The Gophers topped the Nittany Lions, 196.650-196.125, at the 2020 Big Five Meet. In 2019, Penn State posted a 196.775, its highest score since 2016, including a career-high 39.525 in all-around by Lauren Bridgens.
MEET THE GOPHERS
Minnesota sits 13th in the RoadToNationals rankings. The Golden Gophers won their season-opener against Iowa (197.025-196.450), but fell last Friday against Michigan (195.850-195.000).
Senior Ona Loper ranks third in the country in all-around, averaging a 39.563. She also leads the nation on vault, with a 9.925 average, and sits fourth on floor, averaging a 9.938. Loper holds 17th in the country with a 9.875 average on bars.
Fellow senior Lexy Ramler sits fifth in the country with a 39.512 average in all-around. She holds fourth on beam, averaging a 9.938, and sixth on bars, averaging a 9.900. Ramler ranks 13th in the country on vault with a 9.875 average.
Minnesota ranks ninth in the nation on beam (49.025 average). In addition to Ramler, junior Ali Sonier ranks 34th in the nation (9.850 average).
The Gophers sit 11th in the country on bars (49.138) and vault (49.125). Sophomore Maddie Quarles ranks 25th in the nation (9.863), to join Loper and Ramler.
On floor, Minnesota ranks 30th in the country with a 48.725 average.
NATIONAL NITS
Cassidy Rushlow ranks 16th in the nation in all-around with a 39.287 average. She also sits 17th on bars (9.875) and 29th on vault (9.850).
Melissa Astarita is averaging a 9.900 on floor, good for 10th in the nation. She is Penn State's first athlete to rank among the top 10 on an event since Sabrina Garcia was ranked 10th on bars to end the 2017 season.
Erynne Allen sits 37th on floor with a 9.863 average, while Alissa Bonsall ranks 44th on vault with a 9.838 average.
As a team, Penn State is 19th in the nation on vault, with a 48.913 average, and 24th on floor, with a 48.825 average.
STRONG START ON VAULT
The Nittany Lions started off the season with a solid 48.950 on vault, their highest vault score in a season opener since 2013 vs. Denver and Lindenwood (49.100). Natalie Cross led Penn State with a 9.850, while Alissa Bonsall and Cassidy Rushlow each tallied a 9.825.
Penn State followed that performance with a 48.875 against Nebraska. Rushlow won her third career event title on vault with a 9.875.
Penn State ranks 19th in the nation on vault after week two.
CAREER HIGHS ON FLOOR
Penn State tallied a 49.225 on floor against Nebraska. The effort included five career highs.
Melissa Astarita won her fifth career floor title, and second this season, with a career-high 9.925.
Erynne Allen notched a career-best 9.875 to finish second overall, while Cassidy Rushlow posted a career-high 9.850 to place third. Maggie Ayers and Amy Bladon also collected career highs.
The Nittany Lions sit 24th in the country on floor.
YOUTH MOVEMENT
Nine of Penn State's 24 lineup spots were occupied by freshmen in its season opener against Maryland. Three other lineup spots earned their first score on that event as a Nittany Lion.
Natalie Cross led the group, leading Penn State on vault (9.850) and beam (9.875), placing second overall in both events, and competing on bars. Maddie Johnston earned a solid 9.825 on beam, finishing third in the meet. She also competed on vault and bars. Maggie Ayers made her Penn State debut on bars, beam and floor. Amy Bladon made her Nittany Lion debut on beam and floor, while Donna Howell made her debut on vault.
HOME SWEET HOME
Penn State averaged a 196.230 in five home meets last season, its highest at Rec Hall since 2015. The Nittany Lions earned a 196.000 or better in each of the last four home meets, highlighted by a 196.575 in the PSU Quad Meet.
The Nittany Lions scored above a 49.000 on bars in four of five meets, paced by a 49.300 against West Virginia. Penn State tallied a 49.000 or better on beam in four home meets, finishing strong with a 49.325 against Florida. The blue and white also earned a 49.000 or better on floor in four meets, led by a 49.375 vs. Iowa.
BONSALL, RUSHLOW EARN B1G RECOGNITION
Senior Alissa Bonsall and sophomore Cassidy Rushlow were named Big Ten Gymnasts to Watch.
Bonsall won four individual event titles in 2020, including two on vault and two on bars. She earned a 9.900 on both vault and bars. She has three career scores of 9.900 on bars.
Rushlow ranked 39th in the nation on all-around last season with a 39.130 NQS. She also sat 63rd on beam with a 9.855 NQS. Rushlow won five individual event titles in 2020, including one in all-around, two on vault, one on bars and one on beam. She earned two scores of 9.900 on beam, a 9.900 on vault and a 9.925 on bars.
UP NEXT
Penn State travels to No. 25 Maryland on Friday, February 5 at 5 p.m.
