CAREER HIGHS:
Vault: 9.9 at Big Fives (2/24/24)
Bars: 9.9 vs. Nebraska (2/10/23)
Beam: 9.9, 5x, Last at Rutgers (1/25/24)
Floor: 9.85 vs. William & Mary (3/3/23)
All-Around: 39.425 vs. William & Mary (3/3/23)
2024 – SENIOR SEASON
Awards: Academic All-Big Ten.
Season: Competed in all 15 meets for the Nittany Lions, recording season-best 9.9 tallies on vault and beam.
Meet-by-meet: at Penn w/Pitt, Temple (1/5): Recorded a 9.825 on beam, a 9.8 on bars, and a 9.75 on beam in the Nittany Lions’ season opener. Iowa State (1/12): Posted 9.8+ scores on all three of her events in Penn State’s first home meet…Tallied 9.8s on vault and bars and a 9.875 on beam to win the event title. at Rutgers (1/25): Scored a 39.250 in her first all-around of the year…Set a season-best with a 9.9 on beam to win the event title, posted a 9.875 on bars, and a 9.85 on vault. Minnesota (2/3): Tallied a season-best 39.300 in the all-around with a 9.825 on vault, a season-best 9.875 on bars, a 9.825 on beam, and a 9.775 season-best on floor. Big Fives (2/24): In her fifth-straight all-around performance, totaled her fifth-straight 39.200+ tally…Set her season-best score with a 9.9 on vault, a 9.825 on bars, a 9.775 on beam, and a 9.7 on floor. Ball St., Towson, WVU (3/1): Went 9.875 on beam, also recording a 9.85 on vault and a 9.825 on bars on senior day. At NC State w/Penn, Texas Woman’s (3/10): For the second time in three meets, scored a 9.8-or-better on all three of her events…Posted a 9.875 on vault, a 9.85 on bars, and a 9.825 on beam. Big Ten Championships (3/23): Recorded a 9.85 on vault, a 9.825 on bars, and a 9.725 at the conference meet. Regional Second Round (4/4): Helped Penn State advance to its first-ever regional final with a 9.85 on vault and beam, as well as a 9.8 on bars. Regional Final (4/6): Secured a 9.85 score on bars, as well as 9.825 tallies on vault and beam in the final meet of her senior season.
2023 – JUNIOR SEASON
Awards: Big Ten Distinguished Scholar…Academic All-Big Ten.
Season: Competed in the all-around in all but one meet in 2023…Set a 39.425 career-best all-around score, went 39.350+ four times.
Meet-by-meet: Penn State Quad (1/13): Went 39.150 in the all-around, her first 39+ of the season…Set a season-best 9.9 on the balance beam. Nebraska (2/10): Turned in 9.9s on bars and beam en route to a 39.375 all-around performance. William & Mary (3/3): Posted a career-high 39.425 all-around total…Included a 9.875 on vault, a 9.825 on bars, a 9.875 on beam, and a 9.85 on floor. at Auburn (3/10): Collected her second-straight 39.400+ in the all-around…Tied her season-best 9.9 on the balance beam, added a 9.825 on vault, a 9.875 on beam, and a 9.8 on the floor. Pittsburgh Regional II (3/31): Tied the regional program record with a 9.9 on the balance beam…went 39.350 in the all-around, tied for 11th in school history in regional competition.
2022 - SOPHOMORE SEASON
Awards: Earned Academic All-Big Ten honors.
Season: Saw action in 11 meets for the Nittany Lions on uneven bars and balance beam...Scored a 9.800-or better on both events 13 times.
at Ohio State (1/22): Scored 9.825 on bars and beam. Illinois (1/29): Set season high with 9.850 on bars. Big Five Meet (2/19): Set a personal best, this time on beam, at 9.875. at New Hampshire (3/13): Tied personal best with another 9.875 on beam...Added a 9.800 on bars. Big Ten Championships (3/19): Closed out season with a 9.825 on bars at conference championship.
2021 - FRESHMAN SEASON
Season: Competed at all 11 meets for the Nittany Lions including two all-around appearances.
Meet-by-Meet: Maryland (1/17): Opened the season with a 9.875 on bars, a 9.825 on beam and a 9.775 on vault. Nebraska (1/23): Recorded 9.775 scores on vault and beam. At Minnesota (1/30): Set a career-high on vault with a 9.825 score and scored a 9.800 on bars. At Maryland (2/5): Recorded a 9.850 on beam and a 9.800 on bars. Illinois (2/13): Posted a 9.775 score on bars. Penn State Tri-Meet (2/21): Recorded a 9.825 score on beam and a 9.800 score on bars. At Big Five Meet (2/27): Set a career-high on beam with a 9.875 score. At Ohio State Quad Meet (3/7): Posted a 9.800 score on bars and a 9.775 score on beam. At Rutgers (3/13): Recorded 9.800 scores on vault and beam. At Big Ten Championships (3/20): Poste an all-around score of 39.150…recorded a career-high on bars with a 9.875. At NCAA Regional First Round (4/1): Closed out the season with a 9.775 score on beam.
Gymnastics Background:
Competed with Hill’s Gymnastics for coaches Cynthia Smaha and Teri Boyden…Led Hill’s Gymnastics to team titles at the Level 10 Maryland State Championships in 2019…Earned event titles in all-around and on bars and floor at the 2019 Level 10 Maryland State Championships...Swept the event titles at the 2019 Level 10 Regionals…Competed at the 2019 World Junior Olympic National Championships, placing second in all-around, second on beam, fourth on bars and seventh on floor…Participated in the 2019 Nastia Liukin Cup, placing third on bars…Competed in the 2018 U.S. Gymnastics Championships and 2018 GK U.S. Classic…Participated in the 2018 American Classic, finishing third in all-around, second on vault, fifth on floor, sixth on bars and seventh on beam…Competed at the P&G Championships in 2016 and 2017, placing second on vault both years…Participated in the 2017 U.S. Classic, 2016 Secret U.S. Classic and 2015 Hopes Championships.
Personal:
Daughter of Betsy and Matt Johnston…Has a brother, Ryan…Graduated from Penn State in 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in Biobehavioral Health…returning to Penn State for a fifth season of collegiate gymnastics in 2025 and plans to pursue a master’s degree.
Why Penn State?
“I chose Penn State because of the spirited atmosphere, beautiful campus, awesome gymnastics coaches and team, and the variety of majors it offers.”
Maddie Johnston Season 2025
No. 25 Women’s Gymnastics Scores a 195.450, Falls to No. 5 UCLA
McElligott earns season-best 39.275 all-around in late-night tilt
No. 25 Women’s Gymnastics Travels West for Dual at No. 5 UCLA
Nittany Lions square off against Bruins in regular season for the first time since 2002
No. 22 Women’s Gymnastics Earns Gritty Victory at Maryland
Nittany Lions top Terrapins 195.550-195.225 on the road
No. 22 Women’s Gymnastics Prepared for Dual Meet at Maryland
Nittany Lions to take on Terrapins in College Park
No. 24 Women’s Gymnastics Wins Dual Meet Over Illinois
Nittany Lions score a 196.325 to down Fighting Illini for the first time since 2019
No. 24 Women’s Gymnastics to Host Illinois in Rec Hall on Friday
6-2 Nittany Lions compete in second-straight Big Ten home dual meet
No. 19 Women’s Gymnastics Wins Big Ten Home Opener Against Rutgers
Penn State improves to 6-2 with 194.825-point outing against Rutgers
No. 19 Women’s Gymnastics to Welcome Rutgers to Rec Hall on Friday for Big Ten Home Opener
5-2 Nittany Lions to host Scarlet Knights on Friday night
No. 16 Women’s Gymnastics Falls to No. 21 Minnesota in Big Ten Dual Meet Opener
Nittany Lions score a 195.700 in their tilt with the Golden Gophers
No. 16 Women’s Gymnastics to Open Conference Competition at No. 21 Minnesota
5-1 Penn State set to open Big Ten dual slate in Minneapolis
No. 9 Women’s Gymnastics Earns a 196.100 to Finish Second of Five Teams at Lone Star Collegiate Invitational
Penn State moves to 5-1 after first two weekends of competition in 2025
No. 9 Women’s Gymnastics Set for Five-Team Showdown at Lone Star Collegiate Invitational
Nittany Lions to compete against No. 7 Auburn, Arizona State, Temple, Maryland in San Antonio, Texas
No. 21 Women’s Gymnastics Starts 2025 with Tri-Meet Victory over New Hampshire, Penn
Penn State’s 195.775 is its highest score in a home season-opener ever
Women’s Gymmastics Places School Record 17 on WCGA Scholastic All-America Team
Penn State’s 3.7707 team GPA ranks tenth overall in 2023-24