‘Watch out for Penn gymnastics’: Gymnastics opens season with promising performance

While students were enjoying their winter break at home or traveling, the Penn Gymnastics team was hard at work making program history.

The Quakers’ season opener was a tri-meet against a hosting Penn State squad and New Hampshire, highlighted by two program records that set high expectations for the season. Junior Skyelar Kerico completed the first ever Yurchenko 1.5 vault in program history en route to the Quakers establishing their highest ever score in a season opener at 194.725. The Red and Blue followed this up immediately with another successful outing at Rutgers versus West Chester and Towson.

At their season opener at Penn State on Jan. 5., junior Carly Oniki started the beam rotation strong with a score of 9.725, accompanied on the event by juniors Marissa Lassiter (9.750) and Kerico (9.300), and anchor Alisha Werlen (9.775). They were supported by underclassmen with strong scores: sophomore Jordan Barrow (9.650) and freshman Manama Fofana, with the best score of the rotation for the team (9.800). The beam rotation total of 48.700 tied Penn State and was nearly two points ahead of New Hampshire.

Floor kicked off with junior Alyssa Rosen, who did not compete last season, but continued a successful return with a score of 9.725. She was followed by seniors Emma Davies with a 9.725 and Zara Gazdak, who brought home the best score of the rotation: 9.825.

All-arounders Kerico (9.800) and Lassiter (9.700) once again proved to be consistent, reliable lineup members. Fofana followed in their footsteps, putting up an impressive score of 9.725. The team ended the rotation with a score of 48.800, falling short of Penn State’s 49.025, but staying ahead of New Hampshire’s 48.600.

On vault, Fofana, senior Isabel Song, and freshman Sienna Zuccaro all scored a 9.650. Lassiter followed with a score of 9.775, and Kerico delivered immediately after with an event-winning 9.850. Kerico became the first Penn gymnast in program history to complete a Yurchenko 1.5 vault in routine.

Barrow rounded out the event with a score of 9.725, leaving the team with an event total of 48.650. This rotation saw a more significant gap in scores with Penn State, who ended beam with a 48.975 while New Hampshire beat Penn for the first time with an event score of 48.650.

Juniors Carly Oniki and Lassiter started the bars rotation for the Quakers with a score of 9.700 and 9.650 respectively. The only senior to compete in bars, Gazdak, earned a 9.600 for her performance. Barrow continued to improve upon her previous scores with a 9.800. Sophomore Sophia Paris, the only athlete competing in bars to not have competed in another event, struggled and received a 9.100. Kerico ended with a 9.825, giving the Red and Blue a 48.575. Penn State rounded out the meet with a 49.075, and New Hampshire tied their previous event total of 48.700.

With a score of 194.725, the Red and Blue set the record for the highest-ever season opener in program history. In all, Penn State won the meet with a score of 195.775, with Penn taking second and New Hampshire placing third with 192.025. Lassiter placed third in the all-around with a score of 38.875.

Just six days later, the Quakers competed at Rutgers in a quad meet against the hosting West Chester and Towson. The vault lineup was the same as the previous meet with scores of 9.725 for Song, 9.525 for Zuccaro, 9.700 for Lassiter, 9.600 for Fofana, 9.850 for Kerico, and 9.775 for Barrow.

The uneven bars lineup was also the same with scores of 9.600 for Oniki, 9.650 for Lassiter, 9.600 for Barrow, 9.700 for Gazdak, 9.700 for Paris, and 9.775 for Kerico.

Beam saw a slight change of lineups, with Kerico skipping the event and opting out of the all-around. Freshman Mimi Fletcher took her spot and received a 9.850 — the highest score on the event for the Quakers. As for the rest of the scores, Oniki earned a 9.800, Lassiter a 9.800, Barrow a 9.800, Fofana a 9.025, and Werlen a 8.925. Floor was the third event to have the same lineups as the previous with scores of 9.700 for Rosen, 9.525 for Davies, 9.775 for Lassiter, 9.825 for Kerico, 9.800 for Fofana, and 9.875 for Gazdak. 

In total, the team ended with a score of 194.325, just 0.4 below the previous meet.This time, Kerico won vault and Lassiter won the all-around with a total score of 38.925.

“This was an opportunity that I have been working and praying for since I came in as a freshman and to see my hard work pay off was a dream come true,” said Lassiter. “This has been a huge long-term goal of mine, and winning this past weekend felt monumental in my personal development as a gymnast.”

Looking towards the rest of the season after this strong pair of meets, Lassiter is excited for what’s in store. 

“I’m a small piece to a bigger picture and my goals fit into an even bigger picture team goal,” said Lassiter. “Watch out for Penn gymnastics this year because I see a lot more accomplishments in store.”

Penn Gymnastics returns to the Palestra in their first home meet of the season and the team’s senior meet against Towson, Ursinus, and Yale on Jan. 17 at 6 pm.