STANFORD, Calif. - Senior Grant Breckenridge was recently named a finalist for the 2019 Nissen-Emery Award, given annually to the top senior gymnast in the nation.
Recognized as the highest honor in the sport, the Nissen-Emery Award will be presented next month at the NCAA Championship Banquet in Champaign, Ill.
Grant Breckenridge is looking to become Stanford's sixth recipient of the Nissen-Emery Award - our sport's most coveted collegiate honor.
— Stanford Gymnastics (@StanfordMGym) March 6, 2019
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Breckenridge was a 2018 All-American in high bar after placing second at the NCAA Championships. The native of Libertyville, Ill. was also named to the U.S. Senior National Team in 2017 after finishing seventh in the all-around at Winter Cup. A 2018 Winter Cup high bar silver medalist, he also claimed bronze in the parallel bars in 2019.
A 2018 CGA Second Team All-America Scholar Athlete, Breckenridge is also a two-time MPSF All-Academic selection.
Stanford boasts five previous Nissen-Emery Award recipients, including Akash Modi (2017), Eddie Penev (2013), Dan Gill (2004), Josh Stein (1995) and Steve Hug (1974). Breckenridge is looking to become the fourth honoree mentored by head coach Thom Glielmi, joining Modi, Penev and Gill.
The Cardinal has claimed 21 finalists for the award since its inception in 1966.
Joining Breckenridge as finalists for the award are Alex Diab (Illinois), Jacopo Gliozzi (William & Mary), Vitali Kan (Minnesota), Justin Karstadt (Minnesota), Yul Moldauer (Oklahoma), Anton Stephenson (Nebraska) and Alec Yoder (Ohio State).
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 Nissen-Emery Award is inscribed with the following motto: "The true champion seeks excellence physically, mentally, socially, and morally".
Breckenridge and No. 2 Stanford return home this week, hosting Air Force on Friday at 7 p.m. from Burnham Pavilion.