Rutgers Gymnastics Showcases Talent in Competitive Meet Against Penn State

Rutgers Gymnastics shows determination versus Penn State

Rutgers Gymnastics | Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK

Rutgers gymnasts demonstrated their untouchable skill Sunday afternoon in a tightly contested Big Ten matchup against Penn State. The Scarlet Knights posted a strong team score of 194.575. However, they just fell short of the Nittany Lions, who finished at 196.375.

However, the final result favored Penn State. But the meet highlighted several standout performances. And if that wasn't enough, the team also created some memorable collegiate debuts for Rutgers.

Rutgers' Gymnasts Delaney Adrian and Reagan Schenkel Shine

Individual achievements stole the spotlight for the Scarlet Knights. Delaney Adrian turned in her best uneven bars performance of the season. She did that with a 9.900, marking her first 9.9+ score this year. She became the third Rutgers gymnast to reach that milestone, joining Gabrielle Dildy on floor and Emily Leese on vault and floor.

That's a wrap from Jersey Mike's Arena!

Getting better and continuing to build! 💪💪💪 pic.twitter.com/pQxVzzonPU

— Rutgers Gymnastics (@RUGymnastics) February 1, 2026

Adrian also delivered a career-tying 9.875 on the balance beam. She shared first place in the rotation and further established herself as a consistent scoring leader for the Knights.

Freshman Reagan Schenkel made an immediate impact in her collegiate debut on vault. Sticking her landing to earn a 9.875, Schenkel placed second out of 12 competitors. She just signalled a promising start to her Rutgers career and added depth to the team’s vault lineup.

Let's Now See an Event-by-Event Breakdown

Rutgers showed balance and consistency across all four apparatuses, with several gymnasts hitting personal bests and career highs.

Vault:
The Scarlet Knights set a competitive tone on vault. Schenkel’s 9.875 led the way, and Lisa Chevaire tied her career high with a 9.825. The strong start kept Rutgers within striking distance and showcased the team’s depth early in the meet.

Bars:
Delaney Adrian headlined the uneven bars rotation with her 9.900, placing second overall. Her performance combined high-level difficulty with precise execution, making her a clear leader for Rutgers in the event.

Beam:
Adrian continued her hot streak on beam, tying her career-high score at 9.875. The rotation also featured the collegiate debut of Vivienne Larsen, who contributed a solid 9.625, demonstrating poise and readiness in her first Big Ten appearance.

Floor:
The meet closed with a floor exercise, where Rutgers posted a team score of 49.600. Elliot Goldsmith led the group with a 9.825, earning third place, while Chevaire added her season-high 9.750. The performance highlighted the Knights’ ability to finish strong and keep pressure on their opponents throughout the meet.

Recapping the top performers at a glance looks something like this: for the vault, it's Reagan Schenkel – 9.875, 2nd out of 12. Then came the bars, where Delaney Adrian took the center stage with 9.900, 2nd out of 12. On the third, we have the beam. And again it was Adrian only with –9.875, T-1st out of 12. Lastly was the floor, where Elliot Goldsmith made her mark with 9.825, 3rd out of 12

With momentum building from career-high performances and a strong showing across events, Rutgers will take the road again next weekend. The Scarlet Knights are scheduled to face Maryland in College Park on Saturday, Feb. 7, at 6 p.m.

With three gymnasts now scoring 9.9+, this season, the team heads into the heart of its Big Ten schedule with confidence and rising expectations.

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