CAREER HIGHS
Floor Exercise: 14.900 at Minnesota (Jan. 31, 2009)
Vault: 15.650 vs. Michigan (Jan. 24, 2009)
High Bar: 15.150 at Ohio State (Feb. 24, 2008)
PENN STATE CAREER
2009: CGA First Team All-American Scholar Athlete (3.60-3.69 GPA)...Academic All-Big Ten...Opened the season by earning his first career high bar title, scoring a 14.500 versus Army...Placed second in the floor exercise with a career best score of 14.900 against Minnesota...Set another career best in the vault, earning a 15.650 to claim second place in a win over Michigan...Suffered a sprained ankle at Minnesota in the fourth meet of the year, limiting him to high bar duty until the National Collegiate Championships...Finished in third place in the high bar at Temple (14.500) and at William & Mary/versus Navy (14.600)...Set a season high mark in the high bar, a 14.700, at Oklahoma.
2008: Competed in three events (floor exercise, vault, high bar) in a total of seven meets...Posted his highest score of 2008 in the floor exercise, a 14.200, in the season opener versus Army...Scored a season-high 15.500 in the vault at Cal...Earned the team[apos]s second-highest score of the season in the high bar, a 15.150, in the win over Ohio State...A 2008 Academic All-Big Ten honoree.
2007: Gained experience by competing in four events (floor exercise, still rings, vault, high bar) in a total of seven meets...Placed third in the floor exercise at William & Mary, posting a season-best score of 9.250...Also had a season-high mark in the high bar at William & Mary (8.850)...Contributed his best vault of the season versus Ohio State, scoring a 8.450.
NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL CAREER
2009: Competed at the 2009 VISA Championships in Dallas, Texas, performing in the floor exercise (26th, 13.900), rings (34th, 12.500), vault (T25th, 14.650), and high bar (30th, 12.600).
GYMNASTICS BACKGROUND
Participated at the club level with Temple Boys Gymnastics...Four-time Region VII team member...Finished 25th in the all-around at the 2005 Junior Olympic Nationals...Won the Brian Babcott Most Dedicated Award in 2004...Academic All-American at Junior Nationals 2003-06.
PERSONAL
Favorite event is the high bar...After gymnastics, would like to pursue a career with Cirque de Soleil...Selected Penn State because of its excellent gymnastics and kinesiology programs...Brother, Aaron, played baseball at Penn State and brother, Jason, played baseball at the University of Pennsylvania...Father, Albert, was on the football and baseball teams at the University of Pennsylvania...Majoring in Kinesiology.
QUOTING COACH JEPSON
'Matt has really developed over the course of his career. He is a seasoned and confident competitor. He contributed some terrific floor routines last year as well as vault and high bar. He will continue to do that this season and also on rings. This being his last season, he is prepared to do well. Look for Matt to lead us on several events.'