UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State women's gymnastics team (5-2, 1-2 Big Ten) used an outstanding floor rotation to tie their sixth-highest team total in school history on Saturday afternoon against Minnesota. The Nittany Lions earned a total score of 197.025, their highest home meet score since 2015.
Sophomore Amani Herring and junior Isabella Salcedo both posted 9.95s on the floor exercise, tying the fifth best score in school history. This marks the first time a pair of Penn State teammates have earned 9.95-plus scores on floor in the same meet since 2001.
ROTATION RECAP
Penn State posted 49-plus totals on every event on their way to their outstanding total.
During the first rotation on vault, the Nittany Lions scored a total of 49.150. Ava Piedrahita tied her season best with a 9.9. Kalea McElligott followed, tying her career-best score with a 9.85. Maddie Johnston and Herring both posted 9.825 scores, with Herring tying her career high on the apparatus.
On the uneven bars, the team totaled a season-best 49.275 led by outstanding routines by Cassidy Rushlow and Gabbie Gallentine. Rushlow posted a season-best score of 9.925 out of the fifth spot while Gallentine tied her best score at Penn State with a 9.9. Johnston rounded out Penn State's top scorers with a 9.875, tying her season-best mark.
In the third rotation, the team scored 49.2 on the beam. McElligott scored a career-best 9.9 while Salcedo posted a 9.875 and Piedrahita tied her season-best with a 9.85.
During the last rotation on floor, the team posted its season-best score, earning a 49.400 on the apparatus. Herring and Salcedo both posted career-best 9.95s as Penn State closed out strong. Alyssa Kramer tied the best score of her young career, totaling a 9.875. McElligott earned a 9.85 and Johnston earned a season-best 9.775.
FROM THE SOURCE
Head Coach Sarah Brown
WHAT'S NEXT
The Nittany Lions travel to Ohio State to take on the Buckeyes on Friday, Feb. 9 at 6:30 p.m.
FOLLOW THE NITTANY LIONS
Follow along with the team on our social media pages on Facebook (PennStateWomensGymnastics) and X/Instagram (@pennstatewgym).