Former Stanford gymnast Eddie Penev claimed gold medals on vault and floor at the Anadia World Challenge Cup this past weekend in Anadia, Portugal.
Penev (’13) captured the floor title with a 15.625 to edge out runner-up Sam Mikulak, who tallied a 15.550. He followed that performance with a first-place result on vault registering a two-score average of 15.100.
“I was very pleasantly surprised with how well I placed at this competition,” said Penev. “I’m always working for these kind of results and it’s a great feeling to have that hard work pay off on an international stage. This gives me great confidence moving into U.S. Championships in August and trying to make this year’s World Championship team.”
Penev won the 2013 Nissen-Emery Award as the nation’s elite senior male gymnast, becoming the fourth recipient in Stanford history. He finished his collegiate career as a three-time national champion and nine-time All-American.
Fencing
Stanford sophomore fencer Alexander Massialas earned a silver medal at the Pan American Championships in San Jose, Costa Rica over the weekend.
The medal was the third in the past four competitions for Massialas. He won his first gold on the senior circuit in Seoul, South Korea in April and followed with a bronze at the Tokyo Grand Prix last month. With his finish this weekend he set a career high for points in a season with 156. His previous best was 121 in 2011-12.
In the championship match, Massialas went up against his USA teammate Gerek Meinhardt. The match was close, but Meinhardt captured his second straight Pan Am title by a 15-12 count. Massialas had a 10-9 lead in the bout, but with the score tied at 12-12, Meinhardt rattled off three straight touches for the win.
On his way to the finals match, Massialas defeated Argentina’s Felipe Guillermo Saucedo (15-10) in the semifinals, American Miles Chamley-Watson (15-12) in the quarterfinals, Mexico’s Daniel Gomez (15-9) in the round of 16 and Venezuela’s Victor Leon (15-5) in the round of 32.
In the pool rounds, Massialas posted a 4-1 record to receive a bye in the Round of 64.
Field hockey
Stanford head coach Tara Danielson announced the seven-member freshman class Wednesday that will join the Cardinal for the 2014 campaign.
The Class of 2018 includes Sara Helgeson, Marissa Cicione, Millie Stefanowicz, Katie Keyser, Sydney Shaw, Maddy Belin and Ashley Watson. The group consists of five individuals from Pennsylvania and two from California.
Helgeson was a two-time All-State first-team selection and three-year varsity player at Hempfield High School in Lancaster, Pa. She earned all-league honors in her sophomore, junior and senior years, and was a 2013 NFHCA High School National Academic Scholar of Distinction. She helped lead her team to a state championship in 2011 and a semifinal finish in 2012. A three-sport star, Helgeson earned four letters in track and field, and two in basketball.
Cicione, a Havertown, Pa., native, was a four-year varsity player at Cardinal O’Hara High School. She was a three-time All-Catholic League selection, two-time first-team All-Delaware County and All-Southeastern Pennsylvania honoree. She broke the school and Delaware County record for single-season goals with 45 during her junior year.
Stefanowicz joins the Cardinal from Lansdale, Pa., where she was a four-year letterwinner at Mount Saint Joseph Academy. She was a first-team all-state and second-team All-Region selection in 2013. Stefanowicz earned All-Catholic first team and Catholic League All-Star recognition in 2012 and 2013. She claimed championships at the Disney Showcase and Futures Elite Academy in 2012 and 2013, and competed in the 2012 Junior Olympics. Stefanowicz received NFHCA Scholar of Distinction, NFHCA National Academic Squad and All-Academic Pennsylvania Field Hockey recognition in 2013.
Keyser earned all-league first-team and all-county second-team honors during her senior year at Garnet Valley High in Pennsylvania. She was a 2013 Disney Showcase pool winner, and competed at the 2013 Futures Elite and 2012 Junior Olympics. Keyser is a member of the National Honor Society, French Honor Society and Gladiator by SGI/NFHCA High School National Academic Squad.
Shaw, a native of Delmar, N.Y., was a four-year varsity starter and two-time captain at Bethlehem Central High. She is a three-time Suburban Council First Team All-Star Award recipient and competed at the National Futures Championship in 2012 and 2013. Shaw was selected for the AAU Junior Olympics in 2012 and competed at the National Indoor Tournament in 2012 and 2013. She is a three-year recipient of the NYSPHSAA Scholar-Athlete Team Award.
Belin joins the Cardinal from Encinitas, where she competed for La Costa Canyon High. She led her team to the CIF semifinals during her senior year behind a 7-3 league record and was named an all-league selection and a San Diego CIF Section Senior All-Star. The National Honors Society member registered 120 saves during her final two years and earned three varsity letters.
Watson will make the trip up the coast from Escondido, where she was the 2013 Avocado East League Player of the Year at San Pasqual High. She captained her team to a league championship in her senior year and was a two-time All-CIF first team and all-league first-team selection in 2012 and 2013. Watson is a 2014 Futures Elite member and was a National Futures Championship selection in 2011-13.
The seven-member freshman class will look to help Stanford claim a NorPac conference title and return to the NCAA Tournament beginning Aug. 29 in the season-opener at home against Delaware.
Men’s golf
Stanford All-Americans Patrick Rodgers and Cameron Wilson have accepted sponsor exemptions to play in the Frys.com Open on Oct. 6-12 at the Silverado Resort in Napa. Former Cardinal All-American Tiger Woods also may play, depending on his health.