Dec. 4, 2007

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State women's gymnastics head coach Steve Shephard has announced the signing of two student-athletes to National Letters of Intent. Whitney Bencsko and Daryl Konsevick will join the Nittany Lions for the 2009 season.

"Both Whitney and Daryl were highly sought-after recruits," said Shephard. "We are very pleased that they chose Penn State for their collegiate career. We anticipate that they will bring a high skill level and great work ethic to our team. Both of them have great experience on the national stage and they will help elevate our team with their talent and attitude."

Bencsko is a 5-5 all-arounder from Pompton Plains, N.J. and Pequannock Township High School. She is a four-time Junior Olympic National Qualifier (2003, 2004, 2006, 2007) and a U.S. Challenge Qualifier in 2005, earning first place on the vault that year. At the 2006 New Jersey State Championship, she earned first place on the vault with a 9.8 and first on the floor with a 9.5, finishing second on bars and beam for a second-place all-around finish of 37.900. Bencsko also claimed first on vault at the 2006 Regionals with a 9.825 and finished 17th in the all-around at Nationals in 2006. At 2007 the New Jersey State Championship, she claimed first on the bars with a 9.65 and first in the all-around with a 37.275. At 2007 Regionals, Bencsko earned first on bars and vault and also finished 10th on vault at 2007 Nationals.

Konsevick is a 5-0 all-arounder from Rutherford, N.J. and Rutherford High School, although she was home-schooled from grades 4-10 via Laurel Springs and Keystone National High Schools. As a Level 10 gymnast at Galaxy Gymnastics, Konsevick was the New York State beam champion and finished second on the bars at Junior Olympic Nationals with a 9.7 and eighth on the floor with a 9.65. At the 2006 Junior Olympic Nationals, she claimed third on bars, seventh on beam, fifth on floor and sixth in the all-around and was also the Region 6 beam, floor and all-around champion (38.275). Konsevick was the 2005 Junior Olympic National floor champion, also finishing ninth on bars, second on beam and seventh in the all-around. During 2004 she qualified for International Elite status at Karolyi's National Team Camp and was the Atlantic Invitational bars, beam and all-around champion as a National Elite qualifier, also claiming the beam title at the Junior Olympic Nationals. She is a member of the Delta Epsilon Tau International Honor Society and the National Honor Society and made the Maximum Honor Roll.

Penn State begins the 2008 season on the road at Pittsburgh with Kent State on Friday, Jan. 11 before returning to Rec Hall to open the home slate on Saturday, Jan. 19 against Michigan.

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