ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The College Gymnastics Association recently announced the finalists for the 2024 Nissen-Emery Award and
Syam Buradagunta (Westborough, Mass.) of the Navy gymnastics program was one of 13 talented seniors recognized by the organization in their announcement. Awarded to the nation's most outstanding senior collegiate gymnast since 1966, Buradagunta, a leader in Navy's floor exercise, pommel horse, rings and high bar units, is just the fifth Midshipmen in program history to achieve the status of finalist and the second since 2012.
The field of finalists for the 2024 Nissen-Emery Award consists of Buradagunta, Javier Alfonso and Evgeny Siminiuc of Michigan, Ashton Anaya, Michael Fletcher and Connor McCool from Illinois, Garrett Braunton of Air Force, Aidan Cuy of William & Mary, Jack Freeman from Oklahoma, Donovan Hewitt of Ohio State, Noah Newfeld of Cal, Sam Phillips from Nebraska and Colt Walker from Stanford.
"It is a true honor to be recognized as a finalist for this award," remarked Buradagunta. "I am very thankful for my coaches, teammates, friends, and family for supporting me along the way. I feel that the Nissen-Emery award is a symbol of all the priceless values that gymnastics has instilled in each and every one of us. Being dedicated to such a demanding craft for multiple years is an experience we all share and will set us apart from many of our piers as we move forward in life. As for my career at Navy, my four years has been everything I'd hoped for and I wouldn't change a thing."
A four-year starter for the Mids, Buradagunta has been a multi-event standout for Navy in over 40 career competitions. Raising his hand for action on the floor exercise, pommel horse, vault and high bar, he's found success across all of those disciplines as he's qualified for three different event finals at NCAA Championship meets; for the pommel horse and vault in 2022 and on the floor exercise in 2023. Buradagunta's floor exercise performance at the national meet in 2023 was especially noteworthy as he placed eighth overall in the field to garner the first NCAA All-American award for the Navy Men's Gymnastics program in 50 years. Additionally, his well-rounded resume consists of the 2022 USAG Collegiate Floor Exercise Championship and three ECAC Championship medal-winning results: 2022 high bar (3rd) and 2023 floor exercise (2nd) and pommel horse (2nd). Nationally renown for his floor exercise acumen, Buradagunta has ranked top-16 at the end of regular season in three straight seasons (2022-23-24), including this year where he sits 11th in collegiate gymnastics.
For his efforts in the classroom at the Naval Academy, Buradagunta is a three-time CGA First Team All-America Scholar-Athlete and has been named to the Commandant's List on six occasions. He's an operations research major, who service selected Naval Supply Corps.
Buradagunta joins the unique group of Eric Swanson (1973) Peter Ditullio (1983), Andrew Faulk (2012) and Josh Williams (2022) as finalists, who have suited up for the Midshipmen during their collegiate careers.
The award winner will be announced at the NCAA Gymnastics Championships this April in Columbus, Ohio.
Since 1966, college gymnastics' highest honor, the Nissen Award, has been presented annually to that year's outstanding senior collegiate gymnast. 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 College Gymnastics Association finance the redesigning of the Award and establish an endowment that would indefinitely cover the annual expenses associated with it.
The "Heisman Trophy" of gymnastics, the Nissen-Emery Award is inscribed with the following motto: "The true champion seeks excellence physically, mentally, socially, and morally."
