PHILADELPHIA – The Temple Owls concluded their 2026 home schedule with a fourth-place finish at a quad meet on Thursday, posting a team score of 194.450. Maryland took first place with 195.900, followed by Penn (195.075) and Towson (195.000). Despite not securing a top-three spot, several Owls delivered strong performances, highlighted by season-best scores and consistent routines.
The meet marked the final opportunity for Temple to compete in front of their home crowd this season, and the team showcased resilience and individual brilliance across all four events. The Owls will now prepare to travel to College Park, Maryland, for another quad meet this weekend.
Vault proved to be a strong start for Temple, with Kyrstin Johnson achieving a season-high score of 9.775. The team’s overall vault score of 48.700 set a positive tone for the remainder of the competition. Consistent performances from Amelia Budd and Nikki Rengifo further bolstered the Owls’ score on this apparatus.
Temple’s performance on the uneven bars saw freshman Ava Sutphen achieve her second-highest score of the season, contributing a 9.775 to the team total. Senior Reese DeHaan also contributed a solid 9.700, leading off the rotation. The Owls posted a 48.575 on bars, marking the second-highest team score on that event this season.
On the balance beam, Robyn Dunne led the way for Temple with a score of 9.775. Ella Beck continued her streak of consistent performances, scoring a 9.700 for the third consecutive meet. The Owls finished the beam rotation with a team score of 48.275.
The floor exercise proved to be Temple’s strongest event of the day, with four gymnasts scoring at least a 9.800. Kyrstin Johnson, competing on floor for the first time in several weeks, delivered a season-high score of 9.800. Robyn Dunne and Nikki Rengifo matched that score, while Amelia Budd anchored the rotation with a career-tying 9.850, leading all Owls on the day. The team’s total of 48.900 on floor was a highlight of the meet.
Kyrstin Johnson, a four-time All-American, continues to be a key performer for the Owls, demonstrating her versatility and skill across multiple events. Her return to the floor exercise provided a significant boost to the team’s overall score. Johnson’s journey to Temple, after beginning her collegiate career at Talladega College, has been marked by both success and challenges, including the elimination of the gymnastics program at Talladega due to funding issues.
Looking ahead, Temple will travel to College Park, Maryland, on Saturday, March 7, to compete in the Maryland Quad Meet. The Owls will face off against Maryland, Towson, and Ball State, with competition beginning at 6:00 pm. The meet will be streamed live on Substantial 10 Plus. More information on the Temple Gymnastics team, including individual athlete profiles, can be found on the Temple University Athletics website.
The Owls will aim to build on their strong floor performance and continue to refine their routines as they approach the end of the season. The Maryland Quad Meet presents another opportunity for Temple to showcase their talent and compete against a diverse field of opponents.
What are your thoughts on the Owls’ performance? Share your comments below and let us know what you’re looking forward to seeing from the team in their upcoming meet!
