OU And The Nissen Award

Considered the Heisman Trophy of gymnastics, the Nissen Award, founded by trampoline inventor George Nissen, has been handed out to the nation's top senior collegiate gymnast annually since 1966.

Since the award's inception, Oklahoma has claimed a nation-high four Nissen honorees: Bart Conner (1981), Jarrod Hanks (1991), Dan Fink (1998) and Todd Bishop (1999). Athletes, coaches and judges vote on the Nissen winner who is, according to the standards, "more than simply an excellent gymnast...he must also be an example of good sportsmanship and fair play. A champion in defeat as well as in victory."

Conner, Oklahoma's first Nissen Award winner, received the honor in 1981. Conner was a seven-time conference champion and nine-time All-American for the Sooners. He also won three national championships and was named co-recipient of the Big Eight Conference "Male Athlete of the Year" award in 1981. The University of Oklahoma also claimed back-to-back NCAA Championships during that span, winning titles in 1977 and 1978. Conner was a member of three Olympic teams (1976, '80, '84) and won two gold medals at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles.

Hanks was the 1991 recipient of the Nissen Award. Hanks was a two-time conference champion and five-time All-American. He was team captain of the 1991 Sooner squad that won the national championship. Hanks served as an Oklahoma assistant coach from 1996-99 and is one of three Sooners to share the school record on the still rings.

Fink was Oklahoma's third honoree, receiving the award in 1998. He was a three-time conference champion and a four-time All-American. One of three Sooners to share the school record on the still rings, Fink won the national championship on that event in 1998. Fink also participated in the 1997 Maccabiah Games, an international, Olympic-style competition for Jewish athletes. Fink, the 1998 Sooner co-captain, made the President's Honor Roll seven semesters, the Dean's Honor Roll two semesters and was a nine-time Sooner Scholar. He was also honored with the Big 12 Conference Medal Award and was named OU's "Outstanding Male Scholar Athlete of the Year" in 1998.

In 1999, Oklahoma became the first program to produce back-to-back Nissen Award winners when Todd Bishop earned the prestigious honor. Bishop was also the first non-all-arounder to receive the Nissen since the award's inception. Bishop won two straight NCAA titles on high bar in 1998-99 and was a seven-time All-American for OU. In addition, Bishop scored the first 10.0 in Oklahoma men's gymnastics history in 1999 with three perfect high bar performances in the regular season. Bishop, a two-time team captain, holds the school record on both parallel bars and high bar.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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