Michigan State University Athletics
Carlton Rintz Named to 2026 College Gymnastics Association Hall of Fame
1/23/2026 3:03:00 PM | General
Spartan men’s gymnast was NCAA Champion in 1954 and 1955.
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Former Michigan State men's gymnast Carlton Rintz was named to the College Gymnastics Association's 2026 Hall of Fame class, the CGA announced Friday.
Rintz, a native of Quarryville, Pennsylvania, was four-year letterwinner at MSU (1952-55), and was a nine-time Big Ten Champion, including two all-around titles in 1954 and 1955.
He was a four-time NCAA Champion, capturing the 1954 NCAA pommel horse crown, before winning the NCAA titles in the parallel bars, horizontal bars and the pommel horse in 1955.
Rintz was inducted into the charter class of Michigan State Athletics Hall of Fame in 1992, joining an exclusive group of 29 other members considered to be the finest athletes in their respective sports as Spartans.
Following his graduation from MSU in 1955 with a degree in mechanical engineering, Rintz joined the Army through the MSU ROTC program, earning the rank of Second Lieutenant and working as an ordinance officer at Aberdeen Proving Ground, and was in active service of six years.
After his military service, Rintz was an engineer for RCA in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Rintz passed away in 2019 after a valiant 15 year battle with cancer.
This is the third year of the CGA Hall of Fame, which was established in 2024. Rintz is joined in the 2026 Hall of Fame Class by fellow Big Ten Conference athletes Justin Spring of Illinois (2003-2006), Abie Grossfeld of Illinois (1957-1959) and Clay Strother of Minnesota (2001-2004), and coaches Charles Pond of Illinois (1949-1973) and Yoshi Hayasaki of Illinois (1971-2009), as well as the 1940 Illinois team.
COLLEGE GYMNASTICS ASSOCIATION'S 2026 HALL OF FAME CLASS
Athletes
1. Yul Moldauer - Oklahoma (2016-2019)
2. Justin Spring - Illinois (2003-2006)
3. Jake Dalton - Oklahoma (2010-2012)
4. Bud Beyer - Illinois-Chicago (1938-1939)
5. Clay Strother - Minnesota (2001-2004)
6. Abie Grossfeld - Illinois (1957-1959)
7. Makoto Sakamoto - Southern California (1967-1968)
8. Carlton Rintz - Michigan State (1953-1955)
Coaches
1. Charles Pond - Illinois (1949-1973)
2. Bill Meade - Southern Illinois (1956-1989)
3. Yoshi Hayasaki - Illinois (1971-2009)
Team
1940 Illinois
Rintz, a native of Quarryville, Pennsylvania, was four-year letterwinner at MSU (1952-55), and was a nine-time Big Ten Champion, including two all-around titles in 1954 and 1955.
He was a four-time NCAA Champion, capturing the 1954 NCAA pommel horse crown, before winning the NCAA titles in the parallel bars, horizontal bars and the pommel horse in 1955.
Rintz was inducted into the charter class of Michigan State Athletics Hall of Fame in 1992, joining an exclusive group of 29 other members considered to be the finest athletes in their respective sports as Spartans.
Following his graduation from MSU in 1955 with a degree in mechanical engineering, Rintz joined the Army through the MSU ROTC program, earning the rank of Second Lieutenant and working as an ordinance officer at Aberdeen Proving Ground, and was in active service of six years.
After his military service, Rintz was an engineer for RCA in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Rintz passed away in 2019 after a valiant 15 year battle with cancer.
This is the third year of the CGA Hall of Fame, which was established in 2024. Rintz is joined in the 2026 Hall of Fame Class by fellow Big Ten Conference athletes Justin Spring of Illinois (2003-2006), Abie Grossfeld of Illinois (1957-1959) and Clay Strother of Minnesota (2001-2004), and coaches Charles Pond of Illinois (1949-1973) and Yoshi Hayasaki of Illinois (1971-2009), as well as the 1940 Illinois team.
COLLEGE GYMNASTICS ASSOCIATION'S 2026 HALL OF FAME CLASS
Athletes
1. Yul Moldauer - Oklahoma (2016-2019)
2. Justin Spring - Illinois (2003-2006)
3. Jake Dalton - Oklahoma (2010-2012)
4. Bud Beyer - Illinois-Chicago (1938-1939)
5. Clay Strother - Minnesota (2001-2004)
6. Abie Grossfeld - Illinois (1957-1959)
7. Makoto Sakamoto - Southern California (1967-1968)
8. Carlton Rintz - Michigan State (1953-1955)
Coaches
1. Charles Pond - Illinois (1949-1973)
2. Bill Meade - Southern Illinois (1956-1989)
3. Yoshi Hayasaki - Illinois (1971-2009)
Team
1940 Illinois
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