It was a cold spring day in Ann Arbor on the campus of the University of Michigan, but inside the Crisler Center, the NCAA regional semifinals were shaking out in a way that no gymnastics fan expected. In the final rotation, Penn State overtook host Michigan to earn itself a spot in the regional final later that weekend.
“That was probably the most exciting thing I’ve experienced here,” said senior Jessica Johanson. “All of our work that we’ve been putting in all season was paying off in that moment.”
The Nittany Lions’ 196.925 regional final qualifying score was only its third-highest score of the 2024 season and it came at the perfect time. Though there was a lot that went into making this upset possible, the gymnasts credit some of that success to the culture they’ve created.
“We trusted the process,” said Johanson. “We were talking about not doing anything different from our normal, we just need to do what we do in practice, and we put it together at the right time.”
Since Sarah Shire Brown took over the Nittany Lions in 2018, they’ve been improving one year after another. The year before she took over, Penn State finished the regular season at 33rd in the country. After her first year, the team jumped to 29. Each year they have gotten more scores inching toward the highly sought after 197 mark. That’s why the regional final was such a sigh of relief for Shire Brown. She finally felt like what she’s been doing at Penn State is truly working.
“It was incredibly full circle for me, being at Michigan, having that been one of the places I had worked before, and just having Bev be one of my bigger mentors,” said Brown. “For her to have taught me and set me up and helped support me in so many ways in the Big 10 Conference, and then to kind of have it happen on her turf.”
This year, Penn State is supposed to be even better than in years past. The Nittany Lions are adding spectacular five-star freshmen like Elizabeth Leary, Allison Kaempfer, and Ellie Monahan who are sure to make an impact, some of whom may even be doing the all-around. These freshmen were all excellent at the club level and are more than ready to contribute in terms of their gymnastics. But college athletics is an adjustment, and the upperclassmen are ready to help the newcomers with their new lifestyle.
“It’s definitely easy to get lost in the college world, and definitely coming from general gymnastics, it’s a lot different,” said sophomore Kalea McElligott. “But I feel like if you really embrace it and have fun with it, it just makes the experience so much better.”
Taking things one step at a time and having fun is exactly what the gymnasts at Penn State are aiming to do this season. The team has a lot of depth this year, and the gymnasts are excited to see where the depth and variety of routines take them.
Adding to the anticipation around the team’s abilities this season, Penn State has some extra preseason hope and excitement this season, as Rec Hall has been chosen as a 2025 regional site. Shire Brown knows what it’s like to host a regional after hosting in 2018, and she and her team are excited to learn from their last hosting experience and go into this year’s competition with an electrifying slate of new routines.
“From a team perspective, I think there’s good energy surrounding the championship,” said Shire Brown. “I certainly don’t look at it like pressure. I think it’s a great opportunity. I think that we’re very comfortable in Rec Hall, and we will have just a level of excitement and good energy.”
Going into the 2025 season, the coaches and athletes have a lot to look forward to. But most of all, Shire Brown wants her seniors to realize the success that they’ve been working so hard for. Seniors like Maddie Johnston and Jessica Johanson “helped us turn that culture and really helped us to start being not just great students and athletes, but like, competitive athletes,” said Shire Brown.
“As a coach, you just want it so bad for those kids,” she said. “Because they did everything you asked them to do, and so I want to see it end on a high note for them.”
The 2025 season is already off to a great start for the Nittany Lions. They opened their season at home against New Hampshire and Penn and scored a 195.775, landing them at ninth in the national rankings after one week of competition. It will be exciting to watch them as they work to move their way up the rankings week after week.
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Article by Emily Lockard
I believe Ava P is out for the season due to recent knee surgery. I’m very interested to see how this impacts PSU this season. She was a standout in Vault and Bars. Bella S has been missing from lineups as well. It would be a big blow to lose both Ava and Bella to injury. The freshmen do look talented – Leary has been solid and Latronica has a great bars set and beam routine. Kaempfer has some work to do on her Y1.5, but I think she’ll settle in nicely and hopefully fill the void of not having Ava as the anchor.