UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Fifth-ranked Penn State looks to take out the current leader in the Big Ten standings when it travels to take on No. 6 Iowa on Saturday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The meet is scheduled for 7 p.m. (ET) and will stream on Big Ten Network+.
Penn State enters at 3-1 overall and 2-1 in the Big Ten after a loss to Ohio State. Iowa has competed just twice this season, posting wins over Minnesota and Illinois.
No. 5 Penn State (3-1, 2-1 B1G) at No. 6 Iowa (2-0, 2-0 B1G) | Saturday, Feb. 20 | 7 p.m. (ET)
Watch Live ($) | Live Results
SERIES HISTORY
• Penn State and Iowa will meet for the 19th time in a series that began in 1986.
• The Lions lead the series 10-7-1.
• The teams last met in 2019 as part of a tri-meet with Minnesota. Iowa defeated Penn State 406.350-398.200. Brennan Pantazis was the event winner on floor, while Jack Baldwin was the runner-up on pommel horse.
NATIONAL RANKINGS
• Penn State is ranked fifth with an average score of 398.438 and a high score of 406.900. Iowa is ranked sixth with an average score of 397.825 and a high score of 402.000.
PENN STATE INDIVIDUAL NATIONAL RANKINGS (TOP 8 NQA)
• Floor – 2. Matt Cormier (14.567)
• Pommel Horse – 7. Nick Mock (13.650)
• Rings – 4. Parker Clayton (13.925)
• High Bar – 5. Michael Jaroh (13.525)
LAST TIME OUT
• Penn State suffered its first loss of the season as it fell on the road to Ohio State 405.500-403.900.
• The Lions posted season-high team scores in each of the first three events – pommel horse, floor and vault – but struggled in the final three.
• Penn State recorded at least a share of the title in five of six wins, including an impressive showing by Nick Mock. He scored a 14.8 on pommel horse. That is the top pommel horse score in the nation this season and earned him CGA National Specialist of the Week and Big Ten Gymnast of the Week honors.
• Adding event wins were Matt Cormier (floor, vault), Parker Clayton (rings), and Alex Frack (high bar).
SCOUTING IOWA
• Iowa is ranked sixth nationally with an average score of 397.825 and a high score of 402.000.
• Carter Tope ranks fifth in the nation on parallel bars with an NQA of 13.85 and a high score of 13.90.
GENE WETTSTONE AWARD WINNERS
• vs. Army West Point – Kaleb Booth, Brady Yamamoto
• vs. Illinois – Ethan Dick
• vs. Nebraska – Michael Jaroh
MOCK EARNS BIG TEN/NATIONAL HONORS
• Nick Mock made it three weeks in a row that a Penn State gymnast earned honors from the Big Ten and nationally. The junior was selected as the Big Ten Gymnast of the Week and the CGA National Specialist of the Week after scoring a nation-leading 14.8 on pommel horse against Ohio State.
JAROH WINS BIG TEN/NATIONAL HONORS
• Freshman Michael Jaroh dominated the CGA national and Big Ten awards after his performance against Nebraska, where he won three events and finished second in another.
• Jaroh was named the Big Ten Gymnast of the Week and Freshman of the Week one day, and then added CGA national Gymnast of the Week and Rookie of the Week the following day.
CORMIER WINS BIG TEN/NATIONAL FRESHMAN HONORS
• Freshman Matt Cormier was rewarded for his outstanding meet against Illinois. He was voted the Big Ten Rookie of the Week and the CGA National Rookie of the Week.
UP NEXT
• Penn State will compete virtually in a non-conference meet against Navy on Saturday, Feb. 27. The Lions portion of the event will be completed at the White Building.
