UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Sophomore Kalea McElligott and freshman Elizabeth Leary were named Penn State’s gymnasts to watch for the 2025 season, as announced by the Big Ten on Tuesday afternoon.
Last season’s Big Ten Freshman of the Year, McElligott turned heads in her first season in Happy Valley. During her first campaign in the Blue & White, the Massapequa, N.Y. native tallied 9.9 career-best marks on vault, beam, and floor while achieving a 9.85 score on bars. Her Big Ten Freshman of the Year honor was Penn State’s first since 2015 and she aims to follow up her initial success with an even better year in 2025.
Leary, the 2024 DP Nationals balance beam champion and a 2024 Nastia Liukin Cup qualifier, comes to Happy Valley following a fabulous club gymnastics career. The newcomer seeks to contribute right away to the Nittany Lion lineup and establish herself among a talented group of gymnasts at Penn State and in the Big Ten.
2025 SEASON OUTLOOK
The Nittany Lions enter the season ranked No. 21 in the WCGA Preseason Coaches Poll and sixth in the Big Ten preseason poll. Penn State returns McElligott, First Team All-Big Ten honoree Ava Piedrahita, as well as 2024 NCAA Championships qualifier Amani Herring to its impressive roster in 2025.
Penn State finished as the No. 15 team in the nation following last year’s miraculous run to the NCAA Regional Finals. Head Coach Sarah Brown’s Nittany Lions have jumped from 40th to 15th in the final rankings in the past two seasons. Their No. 21 ranking to start the season is their best of Brown’s tenure in Happy Valley.
A home tri-meet will begin Penn State’s 2025 season. The Nittany Lions will host UNH and Penn at 2 p.m. on Jan. 5 to kick off the new gymnastics season.
FULL 2025 SCHEDULE
DATE OPPONENT LOCATION TIME
Sunday, Jan. 5 NEW HAMPSHIRE, PENN University Park, Pa. 2 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 11 at San Antonio Invite San Antonio, Texas 1 p.m.
(vs. Arizona State, Auburn, Maryland*, Temple)
Saturday, Jan. 18 at Minnesota* Minneapolis, Minn. 5 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 24 RUTGERS* University Park, Pa. 6 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 31 ILLINOIS* University Park, Pa. 6 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 7 at Maryland* College Park, Md. 7 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 14 at UCLA* (BTN) Los Angeles, Calif. 11 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 22 OHIO STATE* University Park, Pa. 2 p.m.
Sunday, March 2 Big 4* (BTN) Iowa City, Iowa 6 p.m.
- Iowa*, Michigan State*, Washington*
Sunday, March 9 at GW (w/Clemson) Washington, D.C. 1 p.m.
Friday, March 14 at Clemson Clemson, S.C. 7 p.m.
March 21-22 Big Ten Championships Ann Arbor, Mich. TBA
Apr. 2-6 NCAA Regionals University Park, Pa. TBA
Apr. 17-19 NCAA Championships Fort Worth, Texas TBA
FOLLOW THE NITTANY LIONS
Follow along with the team on our social media pages on Facebook (PennStateWomensGymnastics) and X/Instagram (@pennstatewgym).