March 12, 2008

BERKELEY - California senior Tim McNeill has been named one of the seven finalists for the Nissem-Emery Award. The winner of the award, which is annually presented to the nation's most outstanding senior male collegiate gymnast, will be announced prior to the 2008 NCAA Championships in Stanford, April 17-19.

Looking to be the first Golden Bear to receive the "Heisman Trophy" of gymnastics, the Falls Church, Va., native is the 16th Cal gymnast to be listed as a finalist in the award's 43-year existence. McNeill won the 2007 NCAA Championships on pommel horse and parallel bars, making him the second Golden Bear ever to win two NCAA titles in the same year and the first to repeat as a national champion on a particular event. McNeill, a three-time all-american, is this year's co-captain of the Bears for the second season and is currently tied for most individual NCAA titles in school history

"We think Tim is a very strong candidate, not only from the gymnastics standpoint but also from looking at his academic record and time as a team captain," California head coach Barry Weiner said. "Tim is one of those rare guys that come into your program that's really talented and is easy to coach. He's the consummate team player in addition to being a great student and overall person."

From 1966 through 1989 the award nomination, selection and presentation process was managed by the Nissen Company. IBM sponsored the award in 1990. USA Gymnastics sponsored the award from 1991-97. In 1998, Dr. Robert W. Emery, the 1969 winner, agreed to help the C.G.A. finance the redesigning of the Award and establish an endowment that would indefinitely cover the annual expenses associated with it.

The Nissen-Emery Award does not only honor the collegiate senior gymnast who has established an outstanding record of achievement during his college career. More than simply an award for gymnastics excellence, the winner must also meet several requirements: He must be an example of good sportsmanship and fair play, a champion in defeat as well as in victory, and he must maintain a high standard of scholarship throughout his college career

College gymnastics coaches, student-athletes and accredited college gymnastics judges all across the nation are requested each year to submit nominations for the award. Gymnasts receiving the highest number of nominations are then placed on a final ballot and voted upon by those same coaches, athletes and judges.

The award is inscribed with the motto: "The true champion seeks excellence physically, mentally, socially and morally."

2008 Nissen-Emery Award Finalists:
DJ Bucher (Ohio State)
Wesley Haagensen (Illinois)
Derek Helsby (Penn State)
Jonathan Horton (Oklahoma)
Tim McNeill (California)
David Sender (Stanford)
Luke Vexler (Temple)