Jack Ryan (2021) - CU Athletic Hall of Fame - University of Colorado Athletics

Jack Ryan

Induction:
2021
Class:
1968

As a senior in 1968, he led the Buffaloes to an 11-2 record, CU’s first and only Big Eight championship and the Buffs’ highest-ever finish – sixth – in the NCAA Championships under coach Art White that were held in Tucson … He was the individual NCAA champion on the pommel horse, CU’s first and only titlist at nationals; he scored a 9.60 score for his event, the second-highest posted in the entire championships … A three-year letterman (freshmen were not allowed to compete in the conference meets) he was two-time Big Eight Conference champion in the side horse (a missed routine kept him from the title as a senior) … CU’s only dual meet team losses his senior year were to Southern Illinois (the eventual NCAA champion) and Iowa State (the defending Big Eight champion); he won his competitions on the pommel horse against both with near-perfect 9.6 scores … CU ended Iowa State’s three-year run as league champion by scoring 178.85 points to the Cyclones 177.05 … Overcame significant hand and elbow injuries that he suffered early in his senior year to become a national champion … As a freshman and sophomore he was first in the side horse in the National United States Gymnastics Federation (USGF) open meets, and as a junior he was also the NCAA regional champion in his specialty … The U.S. Olympic team was comprised only of “all-around” competitors and not specialists or otherwise was likely a sure-fire Olympian … Earned his degree in Applied Mathematics from the School of Engineering (’68) and entered private business (in engineering management with a Denver-based aerospace company) … He was born May 30, 1946 in Buffalo, N.Y., but his family migrated to Colorado, where he graduated from Aurora Central High School in 1964 … In high school he led his team to two state championships and was a three-time individual state pommel horse champion … He married his high school sweet heart (Tracey) in August of 1964 before proceeding to college; his wife was his strongest supporter and they were blessed with their three children, all the while he was involved with Engineering school and gymnastics … After a long career in various engineering management roles that involved five different companies and six different states, they retired to a small town outside of Missoula, Montana.