Rowell Named Finalist For Nissen Emery Award

NORMAN, Okla. Senior Quinn Rowell of the Oklahoma men's gymnastics team was named a finalist for the Nissen Emery Award on Monday. The San Antonio, Texas native is co-captain of the No. 2 Sooners (14-0) who earlier this season broke the NCAA team scoring record by posting a 225.200 over current No. 1 Illinois on March 6 in Norman.

Considered the Heisman Trophy of gymnastics, the Nissen Emery 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 five Nissen honorees: Bart Conner (1981), Jarrod Hanks (1991), Dan Fink (1998), Todd Bishop (1999) and Daniel Furney (2003). The Sooners are the only program to produce back-to-back winners when Dan Fink and Todd Bishop did it in 1998-1999.

“The Nissen Award is the most prestigious honor in men's gymnastics,” said Oklahoma head coach Mark Williams. “It is an award in which we are honored to have Quinn be a finalist for. Quinn brings the whole package to the table in not only has he been successful in the gym, but he is also an excellent leader and a great student. He truly embodies what this award is all about.”

Besides the overall team score, Rowell has been a part of two other school records this season. On Feb. 13 in Columbus, Ohio, Rowell broke the old high bar mark of 9.700 set by Furney, with a 9.850 against then-No. 1 Ohio State. In that competition, OU also broke, at the time, the team high bar record with a 38.250. That record lasted till March 6 when Rowell posted a 9.675 to help the Sooners tally a 38.275.

Rowell has placed first on the high bar in his last three competitions and also competes on the parallel bars. His season-high on the p-bars also came against Ohio State, a 9.050 that established a career-best.

The senior was named the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Gymnast of the Week on Feb. 18 after the Sooners defeated Ohio State. In 2002, Rowell earned All-America honors on the high bar and has competed at OU through numerous injuries and surgeries.

Rowell's Bio | 2004 Statistics

The other finalists for the Nissen Emery Award include Jeff Anderson, Air Force; David Eaton, California; Dan Gill, Stanford; Jamie Houle, Ohio State; Jamie Northrup, William & Mary; Bob Rogers, Illinois and Kevin Tan, Penn State.

“You have to look at all the finalists and recognize what a great group of athletes they are,” said Williams. “Quinn is honored to be a part of this field and he definitely deserves any recognition that comes his way.”

The winner will be announced at a formal banquet Thursday night (April 1) before the NCAA Championships get underway in Champaign, Illinois.

The Sooners enter the Championship season this weekend in Palo Alto, Calif., for the MPSF Championships on March 19 and 20 hosted by Stanford. OU will be seeking its sixth straight conference title and its fifth straight under Williams.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Rowell Named Finalist For Nissen Emery Award

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