PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Leading wire-to-wire, Rutgers gymnastics recorded a 196.050, the second highest team mark in program history, Saturday at the RAC to top No. 25 Penn State (195.825) for the first time ever in front of a crowd of 2,043 and Big Ten Network cameras. The Scarlet Knights posted a season high on three events, had 15 routines that set or matched a career high and registered 23 scores of 9.700 or better, including a 9.925 from sophomore Belle Huang on balance beam to tie the school record.
 
"The team has been doing it every day in practice," head coach Umme Salim-Beasley said. "What you saw today was no different than what they've been doing all week. We have been reminding them that we are good and capable of competing against any team in the country, whether ranked or not. It doesn't matter who we are competing with, we have to focus on what we're doing. The team did a fantastic job staying in our bubble and keeping focus from start to finish. They were determined to put on a great show in front our home crowd and our alumni."
 
TOP RUTGERS TEAM SCORES

RU (2-8, 1-3) had three all-arounders in the meet, with each setting a new career high. Huang totaled a 39.300 to tie for the sixth-highest number in the school record books, while senior Michelle Amoresano jumped to 39.050 and classmate Riahanah Ali finished with 39.000 in her first collegiate meet in all four lineups.
 
Sophomore Toni Williams set the tone with a 9.800 vault to start the night, as freshman Mia Betancourt followed at 9.750. Ali took first overall among the 12 competitors with a 9.850 in the fifth position. Junior Kaitlyn Hall contributed a 9.775 and Huang a 9.750 to put Rutgers up 48.925-48.875 after one event.
 
On uneven bars, the lineup picked up a 48.975 to tie for the seventh-best score in program history. Junior Shannon Farrell won the competition for the second-straight week by improving her personal high to 9.900 as the anchor. In addition, Hall reset her best to 9.825 and Amoresano matched with the same mark. Huang added a 9.725, with Ali and sophomore Emily Drauss, who was in bars lineup for the first time in her career, each logging a 9.700.
 
The Scarlet Knights seized control in the third rotation on balance beam by notching a 49.000, tied for fourth in the books, and taking a 146.900-146.475 lead. All six either set or tied their career high. Huang went last and impressed to 9.925, which matched the RU high previously achieved by Makenzey Shank last season and Lisa Abrams twice in 2004. Freshman Kiera Doherty-Herwitz reached the same mark as last week, 9.825, and Amoresano moved up to a 9.800. Betancourt went for 9.750 and Hall 9.700 to round out the five countable scores.
 
Penn State kept the pressure on with a 49.350 balance beam to finish, but Rutgers used a 49.150 on floor exercise to close and secure the victory. Huang led the way with a 9.900 for her second first place of the night. Senior Jenna Rizkalla was closely behind at 9.875, while Williams returned by posting a 9.825 on the scoreboard. Ali and Betancourt each tumbled to 9.775.
 
The Scarlet Knights had previously competed with the Nittany Lions in 20 regular season meets dating back to 1979. Saturday marked the first Big Ten win for RU under head coach Umme Salim-Beasley. Previous RU Big Ten wins included 2017 versus Michigan State and 2016 at Maryland.

Rutgers will head to the road the next three weekends, starting Feb. 16 at Michigan State. The fifth of five-straight Big Ten duals is set to start at 2 p.m.
 
TOTAL SCORE: 196.050
VAULT: 48.925
UNEVEN BARS: 48.975
BALANCE BEAM: 49.000
FLOOR EXERCISE: 49.150


 
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