July 21, 2011
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Eleven members of the 2011 Penn State men's gymnastics team, a number exceeding 60 percent of head coach Randy Jepson's roster, have been honored as All-America Scholar Athletes by the College Gymnastics Association (CGA). Four Nittany Lions received first team recognition while seven qualified for second team accolades.
First team honorees attained at least a 3.50 grade point average while second teamers achieved between a 3.2 and 3.499. As a team, Penn State placed sixth overall in the NCAA and third among Big Ten squads with a collective grade point average of 3.161.
All-American Miguel Pineda (Galloway, Ohio) headlined the group of honorees. A three-time CGA First Team All-America Scholar Athlete, Pineda was one of eight NCAA gymnasts nationwide to earn a 4.0 GPA. He was joined on the first team by Logan Wyman (Phoenix, Md.) (3.90-3.99), Scott Rosenthal (Clearfield, Pa.) (3.80-3.899), and Felix Aronovich (Kiryat Bialik, Israel) (3.70-3.799).
Ingvar Jochumsson (Kopavogur, Iceland) (3.40-3.499), 2011 team captain Matt Albrecht (Guelph, Ont.) (3.30-3.399), Matt Chelberg (Athens, Ohio) (3.30-3.399), Adrian Evans (Boulder, Colo.) (3.30-3.399), Nihir Kothari (Malvern, Pa.) (3.30-3.399), Parker Raque (Louisville, Ky.) (3.20-3.299), and Warren Yang (Nepean, Ont.) (3.20-3.299) attained second team honors.
Seven of Penn State's 11 total honorees had either freshman or sophomore eligibility in 2011.
Pineda, a rising senior, boasts a 3.99 cumulative grade point average in science. A two-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar recipient, Pineda was instrumental in the men's gymnastics squad earning the Varsity `S' Award, an honor presented to the Penn State men's and women's teams with the highest team GPA. Earlier this year, he was also recognized on the Capital One Academic All-America® Men's At-Large First Team and received the prestigious NCAA Elite 88 Award at the 2011 National Collegiate Championships.
Pineda played an integral role in Penn State's 2011 success, particularly in serving as a cornerstone of one of the nation's most talented still rings line-ups. His continued emergence as a dominant force in the event at the 2011 National Collegiate Championships helped the Nittany Lions advance past the qualifier and into the team finals for the first time since 2008. Pineda set a career high in the rings, scoring a 15.900, to place first in the national qualifier and then followed it up by a second place finish in the individual event finals, earning his first All-America honor. He also medaled in the still rings at the Big Ten Championships, placing third. Overall, Pineda totaled 15 top three finishes in the event, including four title wins. He also significantly contributed in the pommel horse and parallel bars throughout the season.
Rosenthal teamed with Pineda to form the backbone of what was, by the conclusion of the 2011 season, definitively the top still rings line-up in the nation. The central Pennsylvania native spent significant time ranked as the No. 1 still rings performer in the NCAA last year, winning a total of nine titles in the event. Rosenthal earned his first career All-America honor in 2011, placing eighth in the still rings in the individual finals of the National Collegiate Championships.
Aronovich followed up his Big Ten Freshman of the Year season with a solid sophomore campaign. A workhorse for the Nittany Lions, the Israeli national competed in every meet and in all five events and the all-around at some point throughout the season. Aronovich contributed Penn State's top scores in the pommel horse (15.100), parallel bars (15.400), and all-around (87.150), recording a total of 20 top three finishes, including 12 title wins.
Raque, a sophomore in 2011, came through for Penn State at the most crucial time of the season and on the biggest stage, shining at the National Collegiate Championships to lead the Nittany Lions. Raque earned the first two All-America honors of his young career based on standout performances in the floor exercise and vault. He set a personal best in the floor exercise, scoring a 15.400, to finish in a tie for fifth place and then tied a career high in the vault, receiving a score of 16.050, to place fourth. Both scores were Penn State team season highs.
CGA First Team All-America Scholar Athletes
Miguel Pineda (4.0)
Logan Wyman (3.90-3.99)
Scott Rosenthal (3.80-3.899)
Felix Aronovich (3.70-3.799)
CGA Second Team All-America Scholar Athletes
Ingvar Jochumsson (3.40-3.499)
Matt Albrecht (3.30-3.399)
Matt Chelberg (3.30-3.399)
Adrian Evans (3.30-3.399)
Nihir Kothari (3.30-3.399)
Parker Raque (3.20-3.299)
Warren Yang (3.20-3.299)