CAREER HIGHS
Floor Exercise: 15.350 vs. Oklahoma (March 22, 2008)
Pommel Horse: 12.850 vs. Michigan (Jan. 24, 2009)
Still Rings: 15.150 at Ohio State (Feb. 24, 2008)
Vault: 15.950 at Oklahoma (March 21, 2009)
Parallel Bars: 14.500 at Oklahoma (March 21, 2009)
High Bar: 15.050 at Oklahoma (March 21, 2009)
All-Around: 85.750 vs. Michigan (Jan. 24, 2009)
PENN STATE CAREER
2009: CGA First Team All-American Scholar Athlete (3.50-3.59 GPA)...Academic All-Big Ten...A key figure in the Penn State line-up, competing in every meet and in every event over the course of the season...Posted two second place finishes and had one third place showing in the floor exercise...Scored a season high in the floor exercise (15.150) and still rings (15.050) in the team finals at the National Collegiate Championships...Placed second once and third three times in the still rings...Established a career high score in the vault (15.950), parallel bars (14.500), and high bar (15.050) in a road meet at Oklahoma...His vault score of 15.950 tied Casey Sandy for a season team high...Compiled a total of six top three finishes in the high bar, including the third title of his career in the event in tri-meet victories over William & Mary and Navy...Competed in the all-around for the first time in his career in 2009, earning four top three finishes, including a season high score of 85.750 to claim second in a home win over Michigan...Ended the season ranked No. 11 in the nation in the all-around.
2008: His continued development and consistent performances earned him regular spots in the line-up in the floor exercise, still rings, parallel bars, and high bar...Posted his highest score of the season in the floor exercise (15.350), finishing in a tie for third place, in the biggest home meet of the season, a showdown versus perennial powerhouse Oklahoma...Won the still rings title (14.900) against Temple...Recorded a season-high score of 15.150 in the rings in Penn State[apos]s road victory over Ohio State...Competing in the vault for the first time in 2008, made an impact by posting the Nittany Lions[apos] second best score in the team finals (15.850) at the Big Ten Championships...Placed third in the parallel bars versus Temple with a season-best score of 14.250...Captured two high bar titles, including winning the event in the team finals at the Big Ten Championships with a season-high score of 15.000...Ended the season ranked No. 3 in the nation on the high bar...Recognized on Academic All-Big Ten team.
2007: Competed in three events (floor exercise, vault, and high bar) throughout the season...Improved over the course of the year, culminating in season-best performances at the 2007 NCAA Championships...Scored a 9.450 in the floor exercise, a 8.850 in the vault, and a 8.750 in the high bar in Penn State[apos]s qualifying session at the NCAA Championships, helping the Lions achieve the highest team score of the opening day...Posted a score of 9.400 in the floor exercise and matched his qualifier score in the vault (8.850) in the team finals of the NCAA Championships...Recorded a 9.300 in the floor in the team finals of the 2007 Big Ten Championships...Tied his season high score of 8.750 in the high bar versus William & Mary.
GYMNASTICS BACKGROUND
Junior Israeli all-around champion in 2001...Junior Maccabian all-around champion in 2001...Silver medalist in the rings in 2002 at ISF World Gymnasiada...Competed at the 2003 World Gymnastics Championships in Anaheim, Calif....Placed third in the all-around at the 2006 Senior Israeli Championships...Participated in the European Championships in 2000, 2002, and 2004-06.
PERSONAL
Majoring in engineering.
QUOTING COACH JEPSON
'Noam is a great leader for us and is a seasoned competitor. We will look for big routines in every event. He needs to stay healthy for us to do well. We are going to tailor practices to suit him in order to take care of his body, so he can be there for us when we need him.'