Dr. Robert Emery is a former collegiate gymnast. He competed for Penn State University and earned the Nissen Award (the "Heisman" of NCAA men's gymnastics) in 1969. In 1998, Emery funded an ongoing endowment for the Nissen Award, which is now renamed the Nissen-Emery Award. [1]
Emery is currently a heart surgeon. He was named outstanding science alumni of Penn State for 1996 and an Alumni Fellow in 2003. He is a founding member and past president of the International Society for Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery. [2]
Peter Glen Vidmar is an American gymnast and two-time Olympic gold medalist. He was a member of the United States men's national artistic gymnastics team and won gold in the team final and pommel horse, and silver in the individual all-around.
Blaine Carew Wilson is a retired American gymnast who was a member of the United States men's national artistic gymnastics team. He is a five-time U.S. national champion (1996-2000), a three-time Olympian, and an Olympic silver medalist in the team competition at the 2004 Olympic Games.

Stephen John Nedoroscik is an American artistic gymnast. A pommel horse specialist, he is a two-time Olympic medalist, the 2021 world champion—the first and only American to win the event—a two-time FIG World Cup champion, a four-time U.S. national champion, and a two-time NCAA national champion for the apparatus.
Kurt Bilteaux Thomas was an American Olympic gymnast and part-time actor. He was a member of the United States men's national artistic gymnastics team and in 1978 he became the first American male gymnast to win a gold medal at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. In 1979, he won six medals at the world championship, setting the record for most medals won at a single world championship by an American gymnast, a feat matched only by Simone Biles in 2018. He competed in the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. Thomas was favored to win a medal at the 1980 Summer Olympics but was unable to compete due to the USA boycott of the 1980 Olympic Games.
Justin Edward Spring is a retired American gymnast and current gymnastics coach. He was a member of the United States men's national artistic gymnastics team and won an Olympic bronze medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics. He was also a top gymnast in NCAA competition, where he represented the University of Illinois.
John Roethlisberger is a retired American gymnast. He was a member of the United States men's national artistic gymnastics team and represented the U.S. at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, and 2000 Olympics in Sydney. He is also a four-time U.S. National all-around champion and a four-time U.S. National pommel horse champion. He also won back-to-back American Cup titles in 1995 and 1996. John was named Sportsperson of the Year in 1990, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1998, and 2000 and was a member of six World Championship teams throughout his career.
Steven Michael Legendre is a retired American gymnast who competed for the University of Oklahoma Sooners men's gymnastics team from 2008 to 2011 and was a member of the United States men's national artistic gymnastics team.
The Nissen-Emery Award is presented to the most outstanding senior male collegiate gymnast in the United States. The award reflects admirable scholarship, moral characteristics, and sporting success.
Michael "Spider" Maxwell is an American retired gymnast. He competed for Penn State University and won the 1987 Nissen Award.
Casey Sandy is a Canadian gymnast who competed for Penn State from 2006 to 2009. In 2007, Sandy participated in World Championships. In 2008, Sandy was the NCAA all-around national champion. He was discouraged by Canada from trying for a place on its 2008 Olympic team. In 2009, Sandy was the Canadian national champion. In that year, he also was awarded the Nissen-Emery award.
Mike Racanelli is an American retired gymnast. He was a member of the United States men's national artistic gymnastics team and won a gold and silver medal at the 1991 Pan American Games. His specialty was floor exercise, where he had an expressive style.
Daniel J. Gill is a retired American gymnast and current businessman.
Jamie Natalie is a retired American gymnast. He was a highly decorated college gymnast, achieving the 2001 Nissen-Emery Award and a two-time individual all-around national champion. He was a member of the United States men's national artistic gymnastics team and in 2000 the USOC named two lower-ranked gymnasts to the Olympic team and named Jamie the alternate. The USOC's attempt to send a message was widely derided and became the subject of continuing scrutiny. The "backroom" dealings and secretive process that resulted in what was widely considered punitive action, exposed the US Olympic coaches' biases to nationwide embarrassment and shame.
Robert Luke Stannard is an American gymnast. He competed for Illinois from 2007 to 2010. In 2009, he won the gold medal on pommel horse at the National championships. In 2010, he placed fourth at NCAA championships on pommel horse and thus earned all-American honors. That year, he was awarded the Nissen-Emery, the gymnastics version of the Heisman.
The Illinois Fighting Illini men's gymnastics team represents the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign and competes in the Big Ten Conference. The Fighting Illini have been invited to 47 NCAA tournaments and have won 10 team NCAA championships, which is second most all-time only to Penn State Nittany Lions' 12 team titles. Additionally, the Fighting Illini have won an all-time record 53 individual NCAA titles.
The Stanford Cardinal men's gymnastics team represents Stanford University and competes in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. The team has won 11 NCAA National Championships, most recently in 2024.
Steven Keith Hug is an American former artistic gymnast who was active in the 1960s and 1970s. Hug was a member of the United States men's national artistic gymnastics team and competed in two Olympic Games and the 1974 World Championships.

Stephen John Nedoroscik is an American artistic gymnast. A pommel horse specialist, he is a two-time Olympic medalist, the 2021 world champion—the first and only American to win the event—a two-time FIG World Cup champion, a four-time U.S. national champion, and a two-time NCAA national champion for the apparatus.
Curtis Holdsworth is a former American artistic gymnast and member of the United States men's national artistic gymnastics team.