Baton Rouge, La., April 7, 2006 ¨C The 16th-ranked Penn State women¡¯s gymnastics team just missed advancing to the NCAA Championships, scoring a 194.900 for third place at the NCAA Regional Championships hosted by LSU Friday night. Senior Jennifer Orlando (Herndon, Va.) finished fourth in the all-around with a score of 39.100 and will represent the Nittany Lions at the NCAA Championships in Corvallis, Ore., on April 20-22.

Oklahoma earned the NCAA Central Regional team crown with a 196.375 as LSU finished second, posting a team score of 195.825. Kentucky placed fourth with a 194.075 as Michigan State and Ohio State rounded out the teams, scoring a 193.575 and 193.000, respectively.

As a team, Penn State posted scores of 48.750 on the vault, 48.550 on the bars, 48.650 on the beam and 48.960 on the floor. In addition to Orlando¡¯s fourth-place all-around finish, junior Corissa Pirkl (West Islip, N.Y.) scored a 39.075 to finish sixth.

The Nittany Lions opened the 2006 NCAA Regionals with a bye before competing on the floor in the second rotation. Orlando and Pirkl both scored an 11th-place 9.825, a season-high-tying score for Pirkl. Sophomore Aslynn Satterfield (Boalsburg, Pa.) notched a 9.800 and junior Ashley Mehrer (Midlothian, Va.) scored a 9.775. Seniors Michelle Ilg (Colonia, N.J.) and Lisa Clark (Philadelphia, Pa.) rounded out the Penn State competitors, scoring a 9.725 and a 9.275, respectively.

Rotation three saw Penn State on the vault as Orlando claimed top honors for the Lions with a ninth-place 9.800. Pirkl, Satterfield and Clark all scored a 9.750 to tie for 18th as senior Meredith Hoover (Dublin, Ohio) recorded a 9.700 and Ilg posted a 9.525.

After a bye in the fourth rotation, the Nittany Lions moved to bars, with Hoover recording a team-high 9.775 for 11th place. Orlando, Pirkl and sophomore Lindsay Borkan (Long Grove, Ill.) all recorded a 9.750 to tie for 16th place as Ilg and freshman Katie Perret (Colorado Springs, Colo.) notched scores of 9.525 and 9.500, respectively.

Penn State closed out the meet on the beam as junior Stephanie Sullivan (Gaithersburg, Md.) claimed top honors on the team with an eighth-place 9.775. Pirkl finished 10th with a 9.750 as Orlando and Perret tied for 14th with a 9.725. Borkan and Hoover rounded out the Nittany Lions gymnasts with scores of 9.675 and 9.200.

For more information on the Penn State women¡¯s gymnastics team, please visit www.GoPSUsports.com.