UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State men's gymnastics youth movement was on full display again Sunday as the team's newcomers played a pivotal role in a 406.90-403.05 win over visiting Nebraska in a Big Ten meet at Rec Hall. The Lions improved to 3-0 overall and 2-0 in the Big Ten, while the Cornhuskers made their season debut.
The Lions earned at least a share of the title in all six individual events, led by freshman Michael Jaroh with at least a share of first place in three events. The rookie was the recipient of the Gene Wettstone Award as Penn State's meet MVP. It was the second consecutive week the award was won by a freshman, as Ethan Dick was the winner in the meet against Illinois last week.
"It was a good team effort. We pulled together when we needed to against a very tough Nebraska team," Penn State head coach Randy Jepson said. "We were fortunate that this was our third meet and just their first meet, because they did a heck of a job for their first competition. They're going to be good down the road."
Freshman Matt Cormier was another rookie winner for the Lions, taking first on floor with a score of 14.75, but it wasn't just newcomers winning events for Penn State. Senior Parker Clayton, who made the All-Big Ten second team in 2019, took first on rings with a score of 14.05 and shared first-place honors with senior Andres Perez Gines with a score of 13.4 on parallel bars.
Jaroh won high bar outright and tied for first with a Nebraska gymnast on both pommel horse and vault. He posted impressive scores on all three events. His 14.0 on high bar and 14.1 on pommel horse both rank as season bests for the Penn State team, while his 14.55 on vault trails just one Lion gymnast this year, fellow freshman Matt Cormier, who scored a 14.6 last week.
Penn State started fast with a solid performance on floor to open the meet. Senior Brennan Pantazis (14.4) and sophomore Robbie Shamp (14.1) took second and third behind Cormier to help the Lions total their best score of the season (70.45) in the event. Cormier's 14.75 is the second highest in the country this year and the program's best since 2016.
Jaroh's first win of the day came on pommel horse. He followed that with a runner-up finish behind Clayton on rings, and then came right back with a win on vault the following rotation. Freshman Colin WIngrove (14.25) was second on vault, while junior Kaleb Booth and Cormier tied for fourth with a score of 14.1.
Penn State held a slim lead, 273.85-273.75, after four rotations, but pulled away with a dominant showing on parallel bars and high bar. The Lions posted a season-best 66.5 on parallel bars and took five of the top six spots. Following Clayton and Perez Gines were Cormier in third, senior Alex Frack in fourth and Jaroh in sixth.
Illinois chipped away at Penn State's lead following the first two routines of the sixth rotation, but that comeback attempt came to a quick halt with back-to-back hits from Cormier and Jaroh. Cormier went first and posted the team's best score of the season, 13.9. That didn't last long as Jaroh followed with a 14.0, which ranks as the second-best score in the nation through four weeks of competition. Frack followed the two freshmen with a third-place finish. Both Jaroh and Cormier earned stick bonuses. The team's score of 66.55 is easily its best of the season on high bar.
"I was really happy with our guys hanging in there in a close meet again," Jepson said. "It was great to see some individuals step up. Our freshmen did a great job. Jaroh had an outstanding day."
Penn State is 2-0 in the Big Ten for the first time since 2015 when it opened with wins over Michigan and Ohio State. The Lions have won six straight meets when competing at Rec Hall. They haven't lost at the facility since March 16, 2019.
The Lions go on the road for the first time this season when they travel to compete against Ohio State on Sunday, Feb. 14. The Buckeyes are 1-1 in the conference with a loss to Illinois and a win over Minnesota.
