Richard Named Nissen-Emery Finalist
3/9/2026 1:56:00 PM | Men's Gymnastics
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Fred Richard of the No. 4-ranked University of Michigan men's gymnastics team was named a 2026 Nissen-Emery Award finalist, as announced by the College Gymnastics Association on Monday (March 9).
The Nissen-Emery Award honors the collegiate senior male gymnast who has not only established an outstanding record of achievement during his college career but also an athlete who has demonstrated good sportsmanship, fair play and a high standard of athletic excellence.
Richard is the 2025 NCAA all-around champion, earning his second national title in the event and the fourth individual NCAA championship of his career. He garnered All-America honors in the all-around and all six individual events, becoming the first men's gymnast in NCAA history to earn seven All-America citations in a single season. He now owns 14 career All-America honors.
Richard helped lead Michigan to its seventh national championship in program history and a fifth consecutive Big Ten title. He was named first-team All-Big Ten and earned Big Ten Gymnast of the Championships honors for the third straight season. He also captured the Big Ten all-around title for the third consecutive year, becoming the first Wolverine to accomplish the feat since Rick McCurdy from 1969-71.
At the 2026 USA Gymnastics Winter Cup, Richard claimed the all-around title after finishing second in 2025. The Stoughton, Mass., native added four more medals, winning the floor exercise title (14.355) while earning bronze on pommel horse (13.952), still rings (13.800) and high bar (13.850).
A member of the USA Gymnastics Senior National Team, Richard finished runner-up in the all-around at the 2024 U.S. Championships with a score of 170.250. He won the floor exercise title (29.500), placed second on high bar (28.800) and finished sixth on still rings (28.300). He also represented Team USA at the 2024 Olympic Games, helping the United States capture the bronze medal -- its first Olympic team medal since 2008 -- while finishing 15th in the all-around final.
Three Wolverines have earned the Nissen-Emery Award: Paul Juda (2023), Sam Mikulak (2014) and Justin Toman (2012). Michigan's most recent finalists were Evgeny Siminiuc and Javier Alfonso in 2024.
Other 2026 Nissen-Emery finalists include Fuzzy Benas (Oklahoma), Asher Cohen (Nebraska), Asher Hong (Stanford), Parker Thackston (Ohio State) and Ignacio Yockers (Oklahoma).
The Maize and Blue is nearing the end of the 2026 regular season, with just a pair of meets left on the slate. U-M will head to Columbus, Ohio, to face rival Ohio State on March 16, before returning home to host Nebraska on March 22.
Players Mentioned
