Aug. 1, 2010
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Twelve members of the Penn State men's gymnastics team, an impressive 60 percent of head coach Randy Jepson's 2010 roster, have been honored as All-America Scholar Athletes by the College Gymnastics Association (CGA). Nine Nittany Lions received first team accolades, including Miguel Pineda (Galloway, Ohio) and Logan Wyman (Phoenix, Md.) who were two of just four gymnasts in the NCAA to earn perfect 4.0 GPAs, while three were recognized on the second team.
First team honorees attained at least a 3.50 while second teamers achieved between a 3.2 and 3.499. As a team, Penn State placed third overall in the NCAA with a grade point average of 3.309.
Seniors Noam Shaham (Kfar Saba, Israel), Matt Greenfield (Villanova, Pa.), and Allen Harris (Lancaster, Pa.) were named First Team All-America Scholar Athletes for the fourth consecutive year while six of Penn State's 12 total honorees had freshman eligibility.
Pineda, a science major, competed in every meet in 2010, serving as the anchor of the Nittany Lions' still rings line-up. A four-time title winner in the rings with a total of eight top three finishes in the event, he posted a career-high score of 15.125 at the Big Ten Championships. Wyman, who competed in three meets during the season, earned a 4.0 GPA for the second consecutive year to earn recognition by the CGA.
Freshman Nick Grant (Butler, Pa.) (3.90-3.99) was a force for Penn State in his rookie season, emerging as one of the squad's most consistent and strongest floor exercise and vault performers. He totaled eight first place finishes en route to earning Big Ten Freshman of the Week on three occasions. Grant owned PSU's top vault score for the 2010 season, a 16.050, and had the second-best floor exercise mark, a 15.400.
Freshman Scott Rosenthal (Clearfield, Pa.) (3.80-3.89), a still rings specialist, also made an impact as a freshman, claiming two crowns and six top three finishes.
Noam Shaham (3.70-3.79) capped off a standout collegiate career by becoming Penn State's lone All-American in 2010, his first as a Nittany Lion, placing sixth in the high bar. An ironman for Jepson throughout the season, competing in all but one meet despite nagging shoulder problems, Shaham captured three vault titles and one high bar crown, totaling 13 top three finishes. He was named Penn State's recipient of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award, an honor that is given to the one gymnast from each team in the conference who best reflects the principles of sportsmanship and fair play established by the Big Ten.
Philip Harris (Lancaster, Pa.) (3.70-3.79), a redshirt freshman, performed solely on the parallel bars in his first season of competitive action, registering four top three finishes, including two titles.
Matt Greenfield (3.50-3.59) notched Penn State's top score in the high bar in 2010, a career-best 15.200 in a home meet versus Oklahoma. Allen Harris (3.50-3.59) was shelved for much of the year due to a biceps injury but provided excellent leadership and guidance to a young squad as the team captain.
Matt Chelberg (Athens, Ohio) (3.60-3.69), Mackenzie Dow (Cranford, N.J.) (3.40-3.49), and Parker Raque (Louisville, Ky.) (3.30-3.39) gave fans a glimpse of a bright future for Nittany Lion gymnastics with solid freshman campaigns. Chelberg contributed heavily early on in the season but a mid-season injury slowed his progress. Dow was a four-event contributor throughout the year while Raque won two titles and recorded PSU's top score in the still rings, a 15.200.
Junior Matt Albrecht (Guelph, Ont.) (3.20-3.29) continued to make strides in second season at Penn State, posting a total of five top three finishes in three different events.