56 | nebraska men’s Gymnastics | 2013-14
Nebraska Men’s Gymnastics Championship Tradition
College gymnastics’ highest honor, the NissenEmery Award, has been presented annually since
1966 to an outstanding senior collegiate gymnast
based on gymnastic achievement, sportsmanship and
academic excellence.
The original Nissen Award was named in honor
of George Nissen, a former NCAA champion, for his
contributions to men’s gymnastics. The award was
re-named the Nissen-Emery Award in 1998 to honor
Dr. Robert Emery, a Penn State graduate, who won
the Nissen Award in 1969.
The “Heisman Trophy” of gymnastics, the NissenEmery Award is inscribed with the following motto:
“The true champion seeks excellence physically,
mentally, socially and morally.”
Nebraska’s dominance of men’s gymnastics
throughout the 1980s is best illustrated by the three
Huskers who captured the Nissen Award within a
period of seven years.
Tom Schlesinger was the third NU recipient of the
Nissen. He won the award in 1988, following former
Huskers Jim Hartung (1982) and Wes Suter (1986).
Husker Finalists
Year
Student-Athlete(s)
2010..................................................... Kyle Shanahan
2009......................................................... T.J. Schmidt
2002.......................................................Grant Clinton
1999............................................................ Jim Koziol
1998.................................................... Bill Mulholland
1996...................................................... Jason Christie
1995............................ Richard Grace and Rick Kieffer
1994...................................................Dennis Harrison
1991...........................................................Brad Bryan
1990..................................................... Patrick Kirksey
1989.................................................... Mike Epperson
1988.................................................. Tom Schlesinger
1987..........................................................Neil Palmer
1986............................................................ Wes Suter
1983............................. Phil Cahoy and Scott Johnson
1982......................................................... Jim Hartung
1979........................................................ Larry Gerard
1976....................................................... Gene Mackie
All-Time Nissen-Emery Award Winners
Year
Winner
School
2012 Paul Ruggeri......................................... Illinois
2011 Steven Legendre............................ Oklahoma
2010 Luke Stannard...................................... Illinois
2009 Casey Sandy...................................Penn State
2008 Jonathan Horton............................ Oklahoma
2007 Matt Cohen....................................Penn State
2006 Justin Spring........................................ Illinois
2005 Guillermo Alvarez......................... Minnesota
2004 Dan Gill............................................. Stanford
2003 Daniel Furney................................ Oklahoma
2002 Justin Toman.................................... Michigan
2001 Jamie Natalie................................. Ohio State
2000 Jeff LaVallee............................ Massachusetts
1999 Todd Bishop................................... Oklahoma
1998 Dan Fink......................................... Oklahoma
1997 Blaine Wilson................................. Ohio State
1996 Darren Elg...............................Brigham Young
1995 Josh Stein.......................................... Stanford
1994 Kip Simons..................................... Ohio State
1993 John Roethlisberger...................... Minnesota
1992 Scott Keswick......................................... UCLA
1991 Jarrod Hanks.................................. Oklahoma
1990 Mike Racanelli............................... Ohio State
1989 David Zeddies...................................... Illinois
1988 Tom Schlesinger........................... Nebraska
1987 Michael Maxwell...........................Penn State
1986 Wes Suter..................................... Nebraska
1985 Matt Arnot..................................New Mexico
1984 Roy Palassou............................ San Jose State
1983 Peter Vidmar......................................... UCLA
.
1982 Jim Hartung.................................. Nebraska
1981 Bart Conner................................... Oklahoma
1980 Mario McCutcheon................ So. Conn. State
1979 Kurt Thomas..............................Indiana State
1978 Tim LaFleur................................... Minnesota
1977 Peter Kormann...................... So. Conn. State
.
1976 Gene Whelan.................................Penn State
1975 Jay Whelan............................ So. Conn. State
1974 Steve Hug . ....................................... Stanford
1973 John Crosby........................... So. Conn. State
1972 Tom Lindner..........................Southern Illinois
1971 Brent Simmons..............................Iowa State
1970 Pete Difurio. ....................................... Temple
.
1969 Robert Emery. ...............................Penn State
.
1968 Dave Thor...............................Michigan State
1967 Steve Cohen...................................Penn State
1966 James Curzi.............