© John Regenfuss – Penn State University
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn., April 15, 2009 – Pennsylvania State University’s Casey Sandy, the 2008 NCAA all-around champion, won the 2009 Nissen-Emery Award, which is given annually to the NCAA’s outstanding senior male collegiate gymnast. The award was presented at a banquet held in conjunction with the 2009 NCAA Men’s Gymnastics Championships in Minneapolis, Minn.
The other award finalists were: Jake Bateman, Ohio State University; Chris Brooks, University of Oklahoma; Kit Beikmann, University of Minnesota; Kyson Bunthuwong, University of California – Berkeley; Philip Goldberg, University of Michigan; Sho Nakamori, Stanford University; T.J. Schmidt, University of Nebraska; and Jacob Schonig, U.S. Air Force Academy.
Established in 1966, the Nissen-Emery Award is college gymnastics’ highest honor and is funded through an endowment established by Dr. Robert W. Emery, the 1969 winner. Other former recipients include: Jonathan Horton, University of Oklahoma, 2008; Matt Cohen, Pennsylvania State University, 2007; Justin Spring, University of Illinois, 2006; Guillermo Alvarez, University of Minnesota, 2005; Dan Gill, Stanford University, 2004; Daniel Furney, University of Oklahoma, 2003; Justin Toman, University of Michigan, 2002; Jamie Natalie, Ohio State University, 2001; Blaine Wilson, Ohio State University, 1997; John Roethlisberger, University of Minnesota, 1993; Jim Hartung, University of Nebraska, 1982; Peter Vidmar, University of California – Los Angeles, 1983; Kurt Thomas, Indiana State University, 1979; Bart Conner, University of Oklahoma, 1981; Peter Kormann, Southern Connecticut State University, 1977; and James Curzi, Michigan State University, 1966 (the first recipient).