OU's Todd Bishop Named 1999 Nissen-Emery Award Winner

April 21, 1999

NORMAN, Okla. - University of Oklahoma All-American gymnast Todd Bishop was named the 1999 Nissen-Emery Award winner tonight at the Bob Devaney Sports Center in Lincoln, Neb. The award was presented to Bishop by George Nissen and 1969 Nissen Award winner Robert Emery.

The Nissen-Emery Award is presented to the nations top senior male collegiate gymnast. The recipient must be an example of good sportsmanship and fair play, a champion in defeat as well as in victory. He must also maintain a high standard of scholarship throughout his college career. As Oklahomas team captain Bishop, a Latham, N.Y., native, has posted three perfect 10s on the horizontal bar this season and qualified for the NCAA Championships on the pommel horse, parallel bars and the horizontal bar. Bishop is the only gymnast who did not compete as an all-arounder to receive the award.

"Its an honor just to be nominated and of course to win the award is a great honor," said Bishop after receiving the Nissen-Emery Award. "Id like to thank Greg (Buwick), Mark (Williams), Jarrod (Hanks) and all the guys on the team, both this years and the past teams that Ive worked with. I want to dedicate this to them because without all of those guys I would not have had the success or motivation that is needed to win this award."

"From our standpoint as a program, its an honor to have a gymnast with Todds (Bishop) caliber," said OU Head Coach Greg Buwick on Bishop. "Todd is one of the best gymnasts in OUs history and he is very deserving of this award not only because of his talent, but also because of his dedication and work ethic. This is the highest honor in collegiate mens gymnastics that one can receive; we have had four recipients at Oklahoma and they have all been great ones."

Oklahoma is the first school in the history of the award to have back-to-back Nissen Award winners. The 1998 Nissen Award recipient was OUs Dan Fink. The Sooners have had two other Nissen Award winners: current assistant coach Jarrod Hanks (1991) and Olympic gold medal winner Bart Conner (1981).

Other Sooners competing at the NCAA Individual Championships are: Steve Van Etten- floor exercise and vault, Brendan ONeil- parallel bars, Huy Ly- pommel horse, Matt Schoen- still rings and Everette Bierker- parallel bars. The NCAA Individual Championships will also be held in Lincoln, Neb. this Sat. at 7 p.m.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

OU's Todd Bishop Named 1999 Nissen-Emery Award Winner

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