University Park, Pa. — Penn State redshirt junior Warren Yang (Nepean, Ont.) has been honored as Big Ten Gymnast of the Week, the conference office announced on Monday. He was recognized with the award for the first time in his career for his standout performance in the No. 4 Nittany Lions’ 353.500-342.500 victory over No. 10 Ohio State last weekend.
Yang is the third Penn State gymnast to receive the conference honor this season, following sophomore Parker Raque (Louisville, Ky.), who shared the award last week, and sophomore Scott Rosenthal (Clearfield, Pa.), who won in week one.
Yang played a major role in Penn State’s third consecutive win over a Big Ten opponent, leading the undefeated Nittany Lions to a season-high team score for the sixth time in seven meets. He captured at least a share of three titles versus the Buckeyes, placing first in the floor exercise, parallel bars (tie), and high bar (tie). His floor exercise score of 15.200 was a season high while his parallel bars score (15.000) established a new personal career best. Yang has earned a total of 12 top three finishes thus far in 2011, including placing first or second in the floor exercise in five of seven meets.
Fans can view Yang and the Nittany Lions down Ohio State when the Big Ten Network broadcast of the dual meet is re-aired on Sat., March 5 at 9:30 a.m.
The Nittany Lions begin a three-meet road swing to finish out the regular season this weekend when they travel to Minneapolis to take on host No. 8 Minnesota and No. 9 Iowa on Sat., March 5 (8 p.m. ET) at the Gophers’ Sports Pavilion. The conference tri-meet will be broadcast by the Big Ten Network on a tape delay basis, with the airing of the competition set for Sat., March 12 at 12 p.m. Penn State defeated Minnesota, 350.150-348.250, last year in Rec Hall but fell to the Gophers in its last visit to Minneapolis in 2009, 345.850-344.500. The Lions have not faced Iowa in the regular since 2007 when they defeated the Hawkeyes in a tri-meet at Stanford.