ANN ARBOR, Mich. – No. 25 Penn State women's gymnastics upset No. 11 Michigan and No. 23 Kent State and advanced to the finals of the Ann Arbor Regional of the 2024 NCAA Women's Gymnastics Championships with a regional school record 196.925 team score.
Momentum was key for the Nittany Lions on Thursday afternoon, as each rotation continued to build upon the previous one and Penn State continued to fight until the final scores flashed on the video board. Head Coach Sarah Brown's squad advances to a regional final for the first time ever, since the four-team regional/super-regional format was introduced in 2019.
ROTATION RECAP
The Nittany Lions began the afternoon on bars and scored a 49.075, setting the team's eighth-best score at a regional since 2000. Cassidy Rushlow and Gabbie Gallentine led Penn State's group, each recording 9.85 totals. Maddie Johnston and Ava Piedrahita posted 9.8 scores as well.
On beam, Penn State obliterated its regional school record with a 49.325 total. Amani Herring's 9.9 tied Penn State's regional school record while a 9.875 from McElligott and 9.85 totals from Johnston, Piedrahita, and Isabella Salcedo pushed Penn State to its record-setting total. Even Penn State's dropped score, a 9.825 from freshman Ashley Maul, was a career high.
Penn State kept its momentum going with a 49.225 on floor, including another 9.9 from Herring. Three 9.85s, coming from McElligott, Salcedo, and freshman Alyssa Kramer, helped the Nittany Lions achieve their fifth-best floor total in regional competition.
Needing a strong final rotation, Penn State's vault squad delivered a 49.300, its second-best mark in regional competition, to take down Michigan through the final routine. Piedrahita and Herring each recorded 9.875 scores while Jessica Johanson, Johnston, and McElligott contributed 9.85s to move the Nittany Lions on to the regional finals.
McElligott posted a 39.350 in the all-around while Piedrahita showed out with a 39.300.
WHAT'S NEXT
The Nittany Lions will compete in Saturday evening's Ann Arbor Regional Final. The meet will take place at 5 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+.
FOLLOW THE NITTANY LIONS
Follow along with the team on our social media pages on Facebook (PennStateWomensGymnastics) and X/Instagram (@pennstatewgym).
