Imagine walking into practice not knowing you are ranked No. 1 in the nation.

Imagine your coach offering congratulations and you not knowing why.

Imagine the feeling when it all sinks in.

Penn State women's gymnast Katie Rowland is currently ranked No. 1 in the nation in the all-around competition, and according to her, she was the last to know.

"I walked into the weight room Monday morning and asked the strength trainer if he knew who the No. 1 gymnast in the country in the all-around was," Penn State women's gymnastics coach Steve Shephard said. "He said, 'no,' so I pointed to Katie."

Rowland, however, says she didn't even know until Tuesday when assistant coach Jessica Bastardi walked into practice and congratulated her, and she didn't know why.

"I was shocked," Rowland said. "Everyone else knew but me. I don't know how that is, but I'm always the last to know."

After being named Big Ten Gymnast of the Week for the second time this season, after Penn State's meet against Massachusetts Friday, and tying the school record in the all-around competition at 39.650, which she herself set only the week before, Rowland finds herself at the top of her sport.

"That's one of my career highlights," Rowland said. "I never thought I would be No. 1 in the nation. It's a real honor to represent Penn State."

Rowland's regional qualifying score of 39.415 ranks her above Utah's Deidra Graham, who comes in at 39.365.

Regional qualifying scores are determined by taking six scores, three of which must be obtained at away meets, dropping the highest of these scores, and averaging the remaining five.

Rowland has been solid for the Nittany Lions all season. She has competed in the all-around in each meet, and has finished in the top three of the all-around for seven consecutive meets, including four first place finishes.

But all of this isn't new to the sophomore from Ontario. Last year, she became only the second freshman female gymnast in school history to compete in the all-around in every meet.

But this year her scores are even higher.

Rowland has broken or tied every record she held as a Penn State gymnast last season and has even broken some Penn State records, including the all-around and tying the school record on bars with a 9.950. She set a new career-best score on floor with a 9.950 and she tied her career-best on vault and beam with scores of 9.900 and 9.875, respectively. In individual events, Rowland is nationally ranked, tied for 13th on floor, tied for 23rd on bars, and tied for 12th on vault.

With only three meets left in the regular season before the Big Ten Championships, NCAA Regionals and the NCAA Championships, Rowland and the rest of her team are concentrating on continuing the successes they have had so far this season.

"Still anything can happen but I try not to focus on that," Rowland said. "We are coming off a high from our last home meet. Hopefully we can carry that momentum throughout the rest of the season. We have that edge now. We are going to go out there and give it our all. We have the confidence — we can do it now."