On Saturday night, two chapters came to a close for the Penn State women's gymnastics team — the regular season and the career of one of its most dedicated members, senior Vera Weiss. During Senior Night, Weiss was honored as a hard-working gymnast whose contributions made her a continuing inspiration to her teammates.

"My four years here at Penn State have, by far, been the most rewarding thing I have ever done in my life," Weiss said.

"To be a part of the Penn State family and athletic tradition is just the best feeling in the world."

Throughout her four years on the squad, Weiss specialized in the uneven bars and the vault, setting career highs of 9.450 and 9.475, respectively. Even though Weiss only competed in three meets throughout her career with the squad, she left a lasting impact on her teammates and coaches.

"Vera was just a very special kid that loved gymnastics," Penn State women's gymnastics coach Steve Shephard said. "She worked real hard every day, even though she was not blessed with a lot of the talent that some of the other athletes on the team have. It was a real inspiration for them to see how hard she worked and how much she dedicated herself, even though she knew she probably would not make the lineup. She came everyday and worked just as hard as the others."

For her teammates, Weiss was an inspiration for many other reasons, including her constant enthusiasm and cheery disposition.

"I think that the thing I will miss most about Vera will be her enthusiasm everyday in practice," junior Katie Rowland said. "She always had a smile on her face and was one of our hardest workers. She was a fun spirit in the gym, and I will miss her a lot."

In her final meet in Rec Hall, Weiss performed on bars, and competed last on floor exercise, allowing the senior one final turn in the spotlight. Weiss scored an 8.550 on floor, but for her, the actual score was meaningless, and it was the experience that counted.

"Tonight was just so emotional for me," Weiss said. "It felt like the ending of a chapter in my life and just meant so much to me. I cannot sum up my four years here in any sort of words or phrases; it was just so amazing, and tonight was wonderful. I am just going to miss the excitement of being before a crowd and the support I got from the fans and my teammates a lot."

Shephard also took notice of the meaning and feeling behind Weiss' final meet in Rec Hall.

"Tonight was a very special night for Vera," Shephard said. "She has worked hard for four years, and was at practice everyday. She has only been in competition three times for us, so it was very special for her to have the opportunity to compete before a home crowd."

In her four years at Penn State, Weiss carried a 4.0 GPA and made the Dean's List, in addition to practicing at least twenty hours per week. Beyond her gymnastics career, Weiss plans to complete her fifth year of her math teaching degree, and attend graduate school, with her first choice being Penn State.

In the end, Weiss is certain about the lasting legacy she hopes to leave.

"When I think about my career, or when my teammates remember me, I want them to think about my love of the sport," Weiss said. "My love for gymnastics was always there, shining through. I just had the biggest love for it."