With the final event looming, the Penn State women's gymnastics team was forced to rely on each of its six final gymnasts to find success. The Big Ten championships would come down to the wire, and every single point would play a part in the outcome.

Penn State may have come up short and finished third, but freshman Meredith Hoover showed poise and composure beyond her years by scoring a 9.850 on the balance beam. Along with Hoover, freshmen Jennifer Orlando and Michelle Ilg contributed to Penn State's success at Big Ten Championships on March 29.

Scoring a 196.650 in the conference championships, Penn State eclipsed its season-high score of 195.875 set against Ohio State. One of the most important Nittany Lion participants was Hoover, who competed in the balance beam and floor exercises, scoring above a 9.800 on each. Hoover looked much more experienced than a freshman, said assistant gymnastics coach Jessica Bastardi.

"If somebody didn't know our team they would not have been able to pick Meredith out as a freshman," Bastardi said. "She looked as if she had been at the Big Ten Championships before."

Due to the tedious nature of the regular season, it was exciting to partake in the meet, Hoover said.

"After a full season of dual meets, it was fun to have such a high level of competition," Hoover said.

Another freshman who contributed to Penn State's success was Orlando, who scored a 9.750 on the vault, a score which ranked her tied for 16th place in the conference. By showing composure, maturity and experience, Michelle Ilg scored a 9.800 on the floor and a 9.750 on the vault.

"Michelle helped us immensely on the floor and vault," Penn State women's gymnastics coach Steve Shephard said, adding, "Both her and Jennifer have been very steady all year."

With NCAA Regionals at Michigan on April 12, Penn State will once again rely upon its freshmen to add strength to its experienced roster. "The experience that [the freshmen] now have due to the Big Ten Championships will help them a lot in the regional competition," assistant women's gymnastics coach Bill Lorenz said. "The freshmen will be forced to step into a leadership role a year or two early next year, so this exposure will help them very much."