UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State women's gymnastics team earned a 196.825 team total in their quad meet victory on Friday night in Rec Hall.
Penn State's outstanding team total took first among the four participating teams. Towson finished second with a 196.775 while No. 25 Ball State recorded a 195.875 and West Virginia posted a 195.800.
A career-best 39.375 all-around performance from freshman Kalea McElligott led the way for Penn State. McElligott earned 9.875s on beam and floor while posting a 9.850 on vault and a 9.775 on bars in her excellent outing. Isabella Salcedo impressed once again, recording 9.9 scores on both beam and floor to win shares of the event title on both events.
SENIOR NIGHT
In a special ceremony, presented by the Penn State Alumni Association, six Penn State seniors were honored following the Nittany Lions' successful home quad meet. Maddie Johnston, Gabbie Gallentine, Maggie Mace, Sarah Duhe, Maggie Ayers, along with graduate student Cassidy Rushlow, were each celebrated for their contributions to the Penn State Women's Gymnastics program throughout their time donning the blue and white.
ROTATION RECAP
Penn State started out strong, earning a season-best 49.250 on vault in rotation one. Led by a 9.9 from Piedrahita, and a pair of 9.85 totals from Johnston and Kalea McElligott, the Nittany Lions earned 9.8-or-better in all of their vault routines. Isabella Salcedo and Jessica Johanson each went 9.825 and Amani Herring earned a 9.8.
Gallentine led Penn State's bars group with a 9.875 score. Johnston went 9.825 and McElligott, Piedrahita, and Johanson each collected 9.775 scores as the Nittany Lions earned a 49.025 on the apparatus.
Salcedo recorded the first of her two 9.9 scores on the night with a team-leading 9.9 on beam. McElligott and Johnston solidified Penn State's rotation, each recording 9.875 totals. Herring and Maul rounded out the Nittany Lions' top scorers with 9.8 tallies. Penn State earned a 49.250 on beam as a team.
The Nittany Lions closed out senior night with a 49.300 on floor, their highest event total of the meet. Salcedo's second-straight 9.9 led Penn State's floor contingent, while McElligott and Kramer each earned 9.875s. Kramer's total is her fifth 9.875 floor score of the season. Piedrahita and Herring each posted 9.825 totals while Ashley Maul earned a 9.775 in her event debut for Penn State.
WHAT'S NEXT
Penn State hits the road next weekend for two meets. The Nittany Lions will compete in a 9 p.m. dual meet at Southern Utah on Friday, March 8, before traveling to NC State for a 4 p.m. quad meet with Penn and Texas Woman's University.
FOLLOW THE NITTANY LIONS
Follow along with the team on our social media pages on Facebook (PennStateWomensGymnastics) and X/Instagram (@pennstatewgym).
