UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The No. 35 Penn State women's gymnastics team will travel to Pittsburgh, Pa. and then Denver, Co. for two competitions on opening weekend of the 2023 gymnastics campaign.
The first stop in the 2023 season will be in Pittsburgh, Pa. where Penn State will take on RV Pittsburgh, RV Temple, and Penn in the annual Keystone classic. The Nittany Lions took first place in the event last year, with a 194.275 score, including two 9.900 efforts on bars. Penn State will enter the event a combined 72-3 against its opponents in the Keystone Classic, with all three losses coming from Pitt.
Penn State will then travel to Denver, Co. where it will take on No. 13 Denver and RV Texas Woman's University in a tri-meet. The Nittany Lions own a 3-6 all-time record against Denver and a 2-1 mark against TWU.
2023 SEASON OUTLOOK
The Nittany Lions enter the season ranked No. 35 in the WCGA Coaches Poll, as announced by the association recently. Additionally, Penn State comes into the season ranked ninth in the Big Ten conference and will have the chance to compete against each Big Ten squad throughout the course of the season.
Penn State returns two NCAA Regional qualifiers in senior Cassidy Rushlow (bars) and sophomore Isabella Salcedo (floor) this season.
Recently, sophomore Jessica Johanson and freshman Amani Herring were named Penn State's gymnasts to watch by the Big Ten conference.
NEW FACES
The Nittany Lions added five gymnasts to the roster for the 2023 season. Herring, along with fellow freshmen Katie Leary, Haleigh Gibble, and Ava Piedrahita will seek to contribute to Penn State's squad for the first time in 2023.
Penn State also added junior transfer Gabbie Gallentine. The Florida transfer comes to Happy Valley after two years with the Gators and brings a career-best 9.95 bars score to bolster the Penn State group.
FOLLOW THE NITTANY LIONS
Following the opening weekend slate, the Nittany Lions will host their home opener in Rec Hall on Friday, Jan. 13 against Penn, LIU, and Southern Connecticut State.
Follow along with the team on our social media pages on Facebook (PennStateWomensGymnastics) and Twitter/Instagram (@pennstatewgym).
