Leopoldus fuels gymwomen to Missouri's Cat Classic title

Led by All-American Missy Leopoldus, the Penn State women's gymnastics team fought off injuries and won its ninth Cat Classic at the University of Missouri this weekend. Scoring 192.65, the Lady Lions posted the third-best team total in the Cat Classic's 18-year history.

The Lions defeated host team Missouri, Iowa State and Pittsburgh in the two-day event, which featured a team and all-around competitions Friday night and an individual competition Saturday night. Iowa State placed second with a score 191.050.

The Lions' win did not come without adversity. Junior Janae Whittaker and senior Joanna Knox went down with foot injuries early in the team competition. Knox suffered a deep bruise and Whittaker's injury had not yet been determined.

"I think given the circumstances we did well," Penn State coach Steve Shephard said. "We had to scramble to fill the line-up, and we ended up with only five on beam. It was kind of a crazy meet."

Junior Missy Leopoldus anchored the Lions and continued her season-long success in Friday night's team and all-around competitions. Finishing first on bars (9.85), tying for second on floor (9.8) and placing third on beam (9.75), Leopoldus' all-around score (38.975) was good enough to top teammate Gemma Cuff (38.8) for the all-around title.

Leopoldus' win was her third all-around title in only five tries this season.

"It's definitely a confidence booster for me," she said. "Just the continuing consistency is what I've been focusing on this year."

Penn State's team title wasn't won by Leopoldus alone. Junior Ellen Casey shared Penn State's highest finish on floor, scoring a 9.8, and her effort on vault (9.6) tied the Lions' second-best score.

Freshmen Cuff and Maria Taylor contributed to the team in major ways as well. Both freshmen boosted the Lions' final team total with respective career-best scores and finishes.

Cuff scored a career-high, all-around score of 38.8 and placed in the top five on vault, bars and beam. Taylor, who struggled to hit her beam routine earlier this season, claimed a first-place finish on the beam with a score of 9.775. Shephard said their contribution was paramount.

"It was very important to hit every event and step it up because Iowa State was right on our heels," Shephard said. "Both Gemma and Maria hit (on beam), so they did a good job."

Penn State qualified all eight women into Saturday's individual competition, where the Lions claimed an individual title and took second in every event.

Leopoldus said the minor falls and mistakes in Friday's competition were disappointing, but the team was pleased to qualify everyone for Saturday's finals.

"Making the individual competition is important because individuals make up the team," she said. "The more success we have as individuals, the more success we'll have as a team.

"We have a strong reputation this semester," she said. "We want to keep it and have people continue to talk about us."

Leopoldus set the Lions' pace in the individual competition, finishing in the top three in three events, including a first on bars (9.85), second on floor (9.875) and third on vault (9.625).

Other highlights included senior Christi Huch's second-place finish on vault (9.65), Cuff's second-place performance on beam (9.725) and sophomore Ashley Wilson's third-place finish on floor (9.825).

The Cat Classic was the first two-day competition of the year, and the lessons learned are immeasurable for future meets, Leopoldus said.

"Competing two days is rough," Leopoldus said. "None of us is used to it, so it's really a learning experience for all of us."