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Oklahoma gymnastics: Yul Moldauer wins ‘Heisman’ of gymnastics

By Chip Rouse

DOHA, QATAR - OCTOBER 29: Yul Moldauer of The United States competes during the men's pommel horse during day 5 of the 2018 FIG Artistic Gymnastics Championships at Aspire Dome on October 29, 2018 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)
DOHA, QATAR - OCTOBER 29: Yul Moldauer of The United States competes during the men's pommel horse during day 5 of the 2018 FIG Artistic Gymnastics Championships at Aspire Dome on October 29, 2018 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images) /
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Oklahoma gymnastics superstar Yul Moldauer is the 2019 winner of the Nissen-Emery Award, recognizing the top senior male gymnast in the nation,

The Nissen-Emery Award is equivalent to college football’s Heisman Trophy or the Wooden and Naismith awards in college basketball.

Moldauer and his Sooner teammates are in Champaign, Illinois, this week for the NCAA Men’s Gymnastics Championships. Oklahoma is seeking its fifth consecutive NCAA championship.

Co-captain of the Sooner men’s gymnastics team, Moldauer is having arguably the best season of his sensational our-year career at Oklahoma. He has won 25 individual event titles through the regular season and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation conference championship, and he has posted the highest score in the country in three events (still rings, parallel bars and floor exercise).

“I think the kid is really special. This (award) was earned over time, and he deserves to be the newest member of the Nissen Award winner family.” — Mark Williams, OU men’s gymnastics coach.

Moldauer has won national titles in seven individual events, which ties him with former OU gymnast Jonathan Horton, and he still has this year’s NCAA Championship ahead of him. He has earned 15 All-American honors, which currently ranks second in program history to Horton’s 18.

At the 2019 MPSF Championships two weeks ago, Moldauer earned four conference titles, giving him 13 for his career and a new Oklahoma program record (Horton held the previous record with 10).

Moldauer was a gold medalist in the all-around at the 2017 U.S. Championships and has been a member of the U.S. National Team for four consecutive years. In February, the OU senior won his second consecutive Winter Cup championship.

“I think the kid is really special,” said Mark Williams, the OU men’s gymnastics coach in a statement released on the OU athletic website following the presentation of the Nissen-Emery Award to his star gymnast.

“This (award) was earned over time, and he deserves to be the newest member of the Nissen Award winner family.”

Moldauer becomes the eighth Oklahoma Sooner to win the Nissen-Emery Award, the most of any school.

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