University of Minnesota Athletics
Brian Meeker
9/10/2007 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
| Brian Meeker Class of 2006 Gymnastics 1979-82 |
Brian Meeker is one of only six gymnasts in school history to win multiple Big Ten all around titles, which he accomplished in his junior and senior seasons, leading Minnesota to three conference championships in his four seasons. Following his Big Ten championship performances in 1981 and 1982, Meeker earned All-American honors each season, highlighted by a ninth place finish at the 1981 NCAA Championships. He was also a finalist in 1982 for the Nissen-Emery Award as the nation’s outstanding senior gymnast.
Meeker won four Big Ten event titles during his career in addition to his all around crowns. He won the floor exercise in 1980 and 1982 in addition to the horizontal bar and vault in 1982. With his victory in the vault, Meeker became the first gymnast in school history to win that event. Twice in his career Meeker posted a score of 9.80 on the vault, which ranked first for the top vault score in school history. Incredibly, he accomplished this despite not being able to see objects out of his left eye.
Not only was he a standout on the gymnastics team, but he was equally dedicated in the classroom. Meeker was awarded the prestigious Big Ten Conference Medal of Honor for elite athletic and scholastic accomplishment in 1982. A native of Edina, Meeker was a five-time member of the U.S. National Team, competed on the 1983 Pan American Team and a was a member of the 1984 gold medal winning U.S. Olympic gymnastics squad as an alternate.
Meeker remained active in the world of gymnastics as an internationally certified judge and served as an officer in the National Gymnastics Judges Association (NGJA).
M Club Hall of Fame
