Ending a four-year athletic career at its peak is golden, and senior Penn State women's gymnast Jennifer Orlando has done just that.

She will compete in the NCAA National Championship hosted by Oregon State in Corvallis, Ore., beginning at 10 tonight.

The Nittany Lions placed third at the NCAA Central Regional competition but were unable to advance as a team. Orlando, however, placed fourth in the all-around with a score of 39.100, earning a spot in Corvallis.

Orlando will be competing in the first individual all-around of her career with Georgia's gymnastics team. The last time she advanced to the national championships was last season with the entire Penn State squad.

Orlando said she is excited to be at nationals, but she wishes her teammates could share the weekend with her.

"Unfortunately they're not here," Orlando said. "I'm here to represent Penn State and the team to the best of my ability."

Orlando was in the gym all week practicing her routines and fine-tuning mistakes. She had the support of her teammates throughout the practices as they provided encouragement and help.

"The eight gymnasts that are returning next year conditioned with her," Penn State women's gymnastics coach Steve Shephard said. "They are motivated and anxious to make changes in the program through attitudes and commitment level."

He added that it was perhaps a positive thing for the program to not qualify for nationals this year because it will light a fire under next year's team.

Orlando feels confident at this point in the season and is comfortable with her routines.

Shephard said Orlando has done a tremendous job this year.

"She's doing the best gymnastics of her career, and this is her senior year which is quite an accomplishment," he said. "I'm proud that she's representing Penn State at the national championships."

According to Shephard, the team is disappointed that it is not in Oregon, but it is proud of Orlando.

"Jen feels the same way about the team not being here with her," Shephard said. "She missed them, and it's fun when you have the whole team with you."

Shephard said Orlando is very well-prepared and doesn't need much in way of coaching.

"As a senior, she knows what it takes," he said. "Basically she needs to be reminded that she's earned it and she deserves to be here."

Orlando said she feels weird to know that everything is ending -- her gymnastics career as well as her time at Penn State -- but, at the same time, it's nice to know she's ending on a high note.

"I want to make my last performance the best for Penn State," she said.

Orlando's last performance will be on Saturday if she makes it to the top four in any event or in the all-around tonight.

After this weekend, her successful career as a gymnast will come to a close and her college graduation will soon follow.

"She's a great kid, a great person and a tremendous athlete," Shephard said. "We're going to miss her a great deal."