She's a face in the crowd. Walking down the street, you could not pick her out from any other 5-foot-3, female student at Penn State. But when Meredith Hoover puts on her uniform and steps out onto the floor of Rec Hall, everything changes. She becomes an athlete, a Penn State athlete. Her teammates, her fans and her peers recognize her as being both a great athlete and gymnast.

But they also recognize her as being much more than just an athlete. She's a good student and a hard worker. She's a buffer between the team and the coaches, keeping everyone in line while still being a good friend. She's solid, loyal and genuine.

"She has always done what's right and works hard," Meredith's mother, Kathy Hoover, said. "She is such a good friend to people and loyal and is always first in line to cheer for her teammates."

From the very beginning, she stepped into her role as an athlete and a role model. These qualities, however, did not arise by coming to Penn State but were instilled in her from her travels, her trials and influences from outside, molding her into a strong athlete and great individual.

Hoover was born and raised in the Midwest, moving between Chicago, St. Louis, Omaha, Columbus and finally settling down in Dublin, Ohio, which is where she now lives. Growing up in a sports-oriented family was crucial to her success as an athlete. Her father played both basketball and baseball for Clemson, and both her siblings participate in sports-related activities.

Already displaying an enthusiasm for sports, she started gymnastics at age three and showed promise early on. Her upper body strength and ability to listen to directions moved her into the accelerated program.

"I remember always having fun when I went to gymnastics. One day I was in a group class and they couldn't find me," Hoover said. "I was over swinging on the bars by myself. So I kind of stuck with it."

And gymnastics stuck with her, too. She started competing in the third grade for a club team, Midwest Gymnastics, and was about two levels behind other girls her age. However, this never stopped Hoover from excelling. By the time she was a freshman in high school, she qualified for level 10 nationals, which is one step below the Junior Olympic National Team. Hoover was the first alternate on the seven-member squad, but when one of the girls dropped out, she was allowed to travel with the team to Texas for nationals, placing third.

This score propelled her into the company of many elite gymnasts. She got to travel to Colorado Springs, Colo., and train at the Olympic training center. This was her first chance to meet girls whom she'd be up against in college, including Jenny Deiley, who is on Michigan's women's gymnastics team.

The chance to train with Olympic-level gymnasts gave Hoover a clear path as to where she wanted to go in her future. Her sights and goals were set on a higher path to greatness. There were times, however, that she faltered and did not want to keep going.

As an athlete, the physical stress of gymnastics was hard on her body. There were points when she wanted to quit gymnastics because it was too difficult or her friends wanted to hang out. But she endured, training 20-30 hours a week and pushing her body to the limit.

Nothing, however, would prepare Hoover for the devastation that hit her family during the spring of her junior year in high school. Her cousin, who was only two weeks her junior, killed himself.

"It's obviously very difficult and painful," Kathy Hoover said. "It's been such a turning point for all of us to wonder what we could have done to help [him] and to value our lives and to step back and put our lives in perspective."

During a time when she was beginning to look at colleges and her future, Hoover had to step back and take a close look at her life and think about what she truly wanted. The five-year anniversary is quickly approaching and Hoover, despite still dealing with her cousin's death, has overcome this tragedy and learned.

"It taught me appreciate the gifts that you are given because he had a lot of difficulties in his life, and I feel like I've been so blessed to have everything and [to] be able to do what I do," Hoover said.

***

Despite being raised in middle America and living in a predominately Buckeyes town, there was no inner pull for Hoover to go to Ohio State. Schools recruited her all across the Midwest. Alabama, Iowa, Iowa State and Michigan were the other four schools she was looking at, but it was Penn State that made more of a lasting impression on her.

"When you get here, it's a whole sense of belonging and [you are] just working hard for your teammates and for the university and not just for yourself. I think that was the coolest thing about becoming a part of the team at Penn State," Hoover said.

As soon as she arrived, Hoover had to acclimate to life as a college student and fit in practices for gymnastics. For the first time in her career, she was part of a team and she had to begin working out in the weight room, something she never dealt with in club gymnastics. The challenge of early workouts and then going to class at 8 a.m. was difficult in the beginning, but it all paid off when Meredith performed at her first meet.

Before the regular season began, Penn State traveled to the Super Six Championships because of its success the previous season. Hoover was the first up for the Nittany Lions and became instantly addicted to the rush of performing in front of thousands of people.

"I just remember feeling so nervous. But it was just the biggest rush of my life. I think I smiled through the entire routine. I didn't do that great, but I still was just so happy," Hoover said. "Being there, with the team and seeing them all cheer for you its so worth it [to put] in all those hours with lifting. It all pays off."

The team must have seen something special in Hoover. She was named co-captain at the end of her freshman year and still holds the position. The Lions have had some up-and-down seasons the past three years, but Hoover has been there the entire time, consistently scoring high and elevating the team. During her sophomore year, however, Hoover was unable to perform to her ability during the NCAA Regionals.

She fell on her bar routine as did fellow senior Lisa Clark and the team had to count a fall. Despite other mistakes by her fellow teammates, Hoover felt it was mostly her fault when the Lions missed qualifying for nationals by three-tenths. Still, she used this meet as a way to become both a stronger gymnast and person.

The following year, Hoover had the most successful season of her career, and the team followed suit. She won the Jan Anthony/Katie Rowland Iron Horse award, given to the Lion who performs consistently in every meet and competes in the all-around. Hoover was healthy and consistent the entire year, and even though the Lions failed to win the Big Ten Championships by two tenths, they finished second at regionals. The Lions moved on to the NCAA Championships, which was the first and only appearance of Hoover's career.

Out of her four years here at Penn State, Hoover's senior year has been less than perfect. Plagued by a bone bruise in her ankle that lowered her skill level during the year and caused her to be unable to perform the all-around in both the Big Ten Championships and in regionals has left a sour taste in her mouth.

The inconsistency of the team and its inability to win the Big Ten Championships or qualify for nationals has ended the season early, leaving Hoover and her teammates to only wonder what could have happened.

But regrets are futile, especially since her collegiate career is quickly fading. In three short weeks, she will be moving out of the bubble that is Happy Valley and into the real world, leaving the one thing that has been a constant in her world.

"My life has changed so much since I came here. Just being at Penn State has shown me that, even without knowing it, you are a part of something bigger than yourself," Hoover said. "You don't think about it, when you go through your daily routine, but you learn so much about yourself.

"I've really learned how I can be a leader and stand up for not just myself but my teammates. I think you just learn that your hard work pays off and being a part of something bigger than yourself is an amazing feeling. When I come back to Penn State next year, I need to know I made an impact and left some history behind me."

She has definitely left some history behind her. On Feb. 25 against Ohio State, Hoover set her career high on the balance beam with a 9.975, putting her in second place on the all-time leaderboard. Of all her achievements and accolades, this was by far the most exciting for her, especially since many of her family and friends were there to celebrate it with her.

Hoover, however, has left much more behind than just her name in the record books. She has left an imprint on many people's lives. Fellow senior and gymnast Jennifer Orlando was her roommate from the first day and knows the team will miss her tremendously when she is gone.

"She's had a great impact on this team. A lot of time [she's] been the one to pull us all together," Orlando said. "It's going to be a big loss for the team but she's handing down a lot of good things, and a lot of people will be able to still look up to her even though she's not physically here."

The younger girls on the team have found more than just a teammate in Hoover. She is a role model inside the gym, working to her breaking point to be the best. Her work ethic outside the gym is seen through her schoolwork and her high GPA and she has been named All-Academic Big Ten the past three years. She is dedicated to both the team and to Penn State.

"We watch her work ethic in the gym and out of the gym. She's an awesome student as well as an athlete and person," freshman Katie Perret said. "We all look to her and watch what she does."

***

Leading by example is exactly what Hoover does. She doesn't say a lot, but her laugh is unmistakable. She's always upbeat and smiling even when the team is down. Because of her injury this year, however, her role has switched from leading by example to leading on the sidelines. Every meet Hoover was unable to compete in, she was on the sidelines cheering on her team. It was a sad but enlightening experience for her.

"I think it's kind of helped me gain some perspective and try to understand a little more how the girls that are injured have felt," Hoover said. "[I've learned] to be on the sidelines and [to cheer] someone on and to find your role on the team as someone who can help and provide any type of assistance because you can't do it physically. It's different but it's a good lesson to learn."

Throughout her four years, Hoover has dazzled Penn State with her gymnastics and captured hearts with her smile. She has become the cover girl for Penn State women's gymnastics through her continual support both inside and outside of the gym.

"She's been a very consistent part of our program for her career. Throughout her career she's been a very steady performer and leader for our team," Penn State women's gymnastics coach Steve Shephard said. "We are going to miss her."

Hoover is a regular girl. There are no heroic triumphs over impossible adversity in her story. She had a very full and exciting childhood. She has loving parents who support all her decisions. Her life hasn't been hard by any means, but it also hasn't been easy. She has dealt with the tragedy of losing a cousin and she has never won a Big Ten title, despite coming within tenths of her goal.

But she has found success. She has found it in friends and teammates. She has found it through great meets with great routines. She has found it in herself, in being herself, and in being more than just a stereotypical athlete. As those who know her will say, she's a solid competitor, a loyal friend, a genuine person and that Penn State can only hope that another Meredith Hoover comes along soon.