Katie Rowland has taken the women's collegiate gymnastics world by storm.

The catch — she's only a sophomore.

Rowland was named this year's Big Ten Gymnast of the Year at the Big Ten Championships March 24 after a stellar season in which she helped lead the Nittany Lions to their current No. 10 national ranking.

"It's awesome," said Katie McAvoy, Rowland's teammate and roommate. "We totally knew she was going to get it. We told her, 'You are the national champion. You don't have anything to prove.' It's just neat to have someone like that on your team."

Rowland, carried the No. 1 all-around title in the nation from March 12-March 25, but is currently ranked No. 2 in the country behind UCLA senior Mohini Bhardwaj. Rowland is ranked No. 15 in the country on beam with a 9.895 and tied for No. 21 on vault with a 9.885 R.Q.S. ranking.

Rowland has broken Penn State records as well. She currently holds the all-around title with a 39.650, and is tied for the record on vault with teammate Gemma Cuff, with a 9.950. She is also tied for the top score on bars with a 9.950 along with teammate Maria Taylor and former Nittany Lion Nikki Smith, who earned the honor in 1999.

However, rankings don't matter to Rowland, and she's said that all season. In fact, she hadn't even known she was ranked No. 1 until after assistant coach Jessica Bastardi informed her about it at practice, a day or two after it had been announced. When Bastardi congratulated her, she asked, "What for?"

And the same thing goes for the other honors she's received throughout the season. When she was named Big Ten Gymnast of the Week for the first time, (she has received the honor three times this season), coach Steve Shephard got the same reaction from her. He congratulated her at practice and again she didn't know why.

Rowland is a team player. And maybe that's why these rankings don't matter to her. As long as her team is doing well, Rowland is happy.

"It was a great feeling," Rowland said about being named Big Ten Gymnast of the Year. "I was honored to represent Penn State. But, it couldn't be possible without the coaches' help and the team. I am grateful for both of them."

The coaches in the Big Ten decide upon the recipient of the award. This is the third time in the past four seasons that a Penn State gymnast has received the award. Ellen Casey was honored in 1999 and Missy Leopoldus was honored in 1998.

Rowland's performance this weekend garnered her a second-place finish in the all-around with a 39.400. The Nittany Lion finished tied for No. 13 on vault with a 9.825, tied for No. 12 on bars with a 9.850, tied for seventh on beam with a 9.825, and tied for eighth on floor with a 9.900.

"I think she was proud," Shephard said. "She was surprised, she was thrilled — especially as a sophomore, because that award usually goes to a senior."

Rowland still has two years to improve upon the scores she's already received as a collegiate gymnast. But, it's kind of ironic. Instead of breaking someone else's record, she'll be trying to break her own.