Amie Olaes was overwhelmed when Penn State gymnastics coach Steve Shephard assigned the task. Run Beaver Stadium, he told them. But he didn't mean that the squad should run from one end zone to another. Instead, the women spent about 45 minutes running up and down every step throughout the entire stadium. "[The workouts] were hard getting used to," Olaes said. "I never lifted weights before and the preseason was pretty hard."

Olaes, who has just been cleared to compete after sustaining an elbow injury, is among five freshman gymnasts who survived the grueling preseason workouts. Coincidentally, they've smoothly adapted to the realm of collegiate gymnastics. While gymnastics at the club level is based solely on individual performance, the sport takes on more of a team aspect in college. Each routine factors into the squad's finish. The rookies agree that the bond they share is what makes gymnastics at this level unique.

"We all really clicked as soon as we got here," freshman Corissa Pirkl said. "I was never really part of a team. I always did it for myself and now it's for the team."

The gymnasts' relationships extend beyond pushing one another through practice and lending support throughout meets. The entire team, with the exception of two gymnasts, lives in the same residence hall, so the freshmen don't have to venture too far in search of out-of-the-gym advice. Olaes particularly flocks to her "big sister," sophomore Jennifer Orlando, who has been of great assistance since Olaes's entrance into the program.

"We have big sisters to look up to," Olaes said. "If I'm frustrated or just need to talk, I go to Jenn." When the anxiously awaited season opener arrived, the freshmen were right where they needed to be.

"They've been a real pleasant surprise," Shephard said. "Well I shouldn't say surprise because we recruited them with the expectations that they were going to do well and that they were on the upside of the learning curve. We felt they had a lot more to learn such as competitive expertise but they met and exceeded those expectations."

At Friday's meet against Alabama, four of the five freshmen who competed turned in impressive performances. In their Penn State debut, the jitters were drowned out by the excitement and ambition to compete for the Lions.

"At first I thought the crowd was going to be a real big shock, but my whole team was there for me and made me feel confident," Pirkl said.