UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Five Penn State men’s gymnasts who were key to the program’s success in 2012, Mackenzie Dow (Cranford, N.J.), Miguel Pineda (Galloway, Ohio), Scott Rosenthal (Clearfield, Pa.), Craig Hernandez (Libertyville, Ill.), and Matthew Felleman (Medway, Mass.), qualified for the 2012 Visa Championships based on their performances at the U.S. Men’s Qualifier the weekend of May 4-6 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.
The 2012 Visa Championships, which will take place at Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis from June 7-10, features the country’s best gymnasts vying for national titles and spots on the U.S. National Team, as well as a chance to advance to the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials, which are scheduled for June 28-July 1 in San Jose, Calif.
Big Ten champions Scott Rosenthal and Craig Hernandez starred for Penn State throughout the 2012 season and continued that success at the qualifier. Rosenthal, a two-time All-American in the still rings, won the event with a score of 15.150, besting national team member and two-time NCAA rings champion Brandon Wynn. Hernandez, who was among the nation’s best freshmen this year, tied another national team member, John Orozco, for first in the pommel horse (15.150). He also shared eighth place in the floor exercise (14.350).
Based on USA Gymnastics point program for results, Dow, a junior in 2012, had Penn State’s top showing in the overall standings, finishing sixth with 48 points. He placed seventh in the floor exercise (14.400), ninth in the pommel horse (14.050) and high bar (13.850), 11th in the vault (15.450), and 21st in the parallel bars (14.000).
Pineda, a Nissen-Emery Award finalist in his senior season of 2012, finished in 11th place with 37 points. He placed fourth in the still rings (14.650), eighth in the parallel bars (14.500), and 14th in the pommel horse (13.700).
Felleman, who just completed his freshman year in Happy Valley, had a strong performance in the all-around, placing eighth with a score of 83.450. His best effort came in the high bar, as he finished 10th with a score of 13.800