Trio of gymmen get taste of Texas

A trip to Texas sure can teach you a lot -- especially when you see a world-class performance and get the chance to visit a boot store.

That was the case for Penn State men's gymnastics team members Ron Roeder, Danny Beigel and Adam Benas when they traveled to the Winter Cup Challenge in Houston this past weekend. The Winter Cup is a two-day open event featuring the top 74 gymnasts in the United States. Only the 36 gymnasts who score highest on the first day advance to the second day of competition.

"He's been (the United States') best for the past two years," said Penn State coach Randy Jepson.

Wilson defeated his closest competitor by more than four points. Unbelievable considering he was competing against the best in the country.

"He pretty much dominated," Roeder said. "That doesn't usually happen."

Roeder, the top finisher of the three Lions, advanced after the first day as well as Beigel, who finished 36th. Benas was the only Lion not to advance and participate in the second-day event.

Roeder placed 15th out of 36 in the all-around during the second day of competition.

"I was really pleased how I did, especially during the one that counted," Roeder said, referring to the all-around finals during the second day.

Jepson was just as pleased but realized Roeder still has to improve. The most noticeable being on the high bar, where he scored a 6.95.

"He's just going to have to continue to work on that," Jepson said.

Roeder said his routine was solid but the difficulty of his routine was simply not worth much. That's because the USA Gymnastics event requires 1.4 of bonus which is different from the NCAA events which require only .6 bonus.

Jepson believes the different scoring scale and the scope of the gymnasts is helpful to the gymnasts.

"This meet is always a good meet because you get out against some of the best competition," he said.

The meet also helped some of the gymnasts, like Roeder, judge where they stand against national competition.

"I saw I could probably make the national team," he said.

Jepson said the gymnasts were down to business the whole weekend, between studying, working out and competing.

Roeder, however, recanted some of the more leisurely moments from the previous weekend. Specifically, the weather in Texas, which had temperatures in the 70s and lots of sun.

"We got to walk around in a T-shirt and flip flops," Roeder said.

Roeder, whose from Montrose, Pa., also got some life experience during a visit to a boot store.

"We saw local Texas culture," he said. "It's kind of different."