UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The No. 14 Penn State women’s gymnastics (4-2, 2-1 Big Ten) team secured the team’s sixth-straight score of 196.000 or above as the team fell to the No. 11 Michigan Spartans (3-4, 2-2 Big Ten), 196.725-197.125, on Sunday afternoon.
The 196.725 total tallied by the team was the second-highest score by Penn State so far this season, behind only the Maryland meet. The Blue and White score a 49.050 or better on every event for the second time this season alongside the meet against Maryland. The afternoon was highlighted by the Nittany Lions’ beam routine, which saw the team tie its ninth-highest ever team beam score, and the highest since the program took on Rutgers in 2019. Dani Latronica led all Penn State gymnasts with a 9.925 on the beam with Ava Cash and Amani Herring securing 9.900s on uneven bars and beam, respectively. Jessica Johanson recorded a season-high 9.875 on vault, her season-high.
The Ann Carr award, given to the athlete who achieves the most inspirational performance of each meet, was given to Herring after her effort on the beam.
VAULT (49.050)
Johanson led Penn State in the vault with a 9.875, the highest vault score by her this season. The sophomore trio of Elizabeth Leary, Allison Kaempfer and Latronica all posted a 9.800 on their routines while Cash, the freshman, notched a 9.775. Ava Piedrahita rounded out the event with a 9.725.
BARS (49.200)
The eighth-ranked Nittany Lions bars squad secured its fourth bars total of 49.200 or higher this season after another outstanding showing. Cash scored a new career-high with a 9.900 in her freshman campaign. Leary matched the season-high she achieved last time out against LSU while the pair of Piedrahita and Latronica each notched a 9.825. Monahan and Johanson rounded out the bars event with routines of 9.800 and 9.725, respectively.
BEAM (49.350)
Penn State had an incredible effort on beam with the total matching the program’s ninth-highest ever routine on the four-inch apparatus and beating out its impressive score earlier in the week by a tenth of a point. Latronica led the way for the Nittany Lions with a 9.925, the second straight meet where she has secured a new career-high. Herring, back from her injury that took her out last season, scored a 9.900, shy of her career-high of 9.950, but the best she has put up all year. Monahan and junior Alyssa Kramer each scored a 9.850 with Ashley maul and Kalea McElligott falling not far behind with scores of 9.825 and 9.800, respectively.
FLOOR (49.125)
It was another string afternoon on the floor for the Blue and White, with the team’s fourth straight finish of 49.000 or higher. Leary, McElligott and Kramer all tied for the Nittany Lion high on the event with routines that each earned them a 9.850. Johanson notched her second solid score of the meet with a 9.800 on her floor exercise while Monahan and Bella Misiura each captured a 9.775.
UP NEXT
The Nittany Lions head back to Rec Hall to take on the No. 17 University of Minnesota Gophers on Saturday, February 14th at 2 p.m. for the team’s Senior Day. Admission, as always, is free.
Follow along with the team on our social media pages on Facebook (PennStateWomensGymnastics) and X/Instagram (@pennstatewgym).