PSU has hired former AU standout Rachel Innis as an assistant. She's been an assistant at Temple for the last two seasons. Prior to that, she was a volunteer assistant at AU. She also danced professionally for four years at Walt Disney World.
Link: PSU Release
Oregon State has hired Bryan Raschilla as an assistant. The former Bama associate Head Coach has been a volunteer assistant at AU the past two seasons. He replaces Brian Amato, who left to join Nebraska.
Link: Release
Alaska-Anchorage interim head coach Marie-Sophie Boggasch has hired former standout Kendra Daniels as an assistant. Former assistant Alina Cartwright has agreed to return and help the team as a voluntary assistant, as they battle for reinstatement for future seasons.
Link: UAA Release
The NCAA Div I Council has announced that the recruiting dead period has been extended to January 1st. The dead period precludes all in-person recruiting. Also, no game tickets can be given to prospective student athletes or their coaches during the dead period. In other action, Fall championships in a variety of sports were postponed until the spring.
Link: NCAA
The Men's College Gymnastics Association has launched a new campaign, "Better Together", to raise funds to save Men's Gymnastics at the collegiate level. Find out more here: LINK
The Board of Regents of the University of Alaska-Anchorage have approved an option to save the four sports programs slated to be cut after this season. This proposal covers gymnastics, hockey and ski. They must raise two years of operating expenses, by next February. For gymnastics, that is nearly $900K. Half of the total needs to be available in cash, and the rest in pledges.
Link: Release
On September 11th, 2001, Mari-Rae Sopper was on her way to California, ready to start her job as Head Coach of the women's team at UC Santa Barbara. Sopper, a former standout at Iowa State, was known as "ISUFan" on the College Gymnastics Board. She had given up her job as a Navy JAG Corp lawyer to pursue her dream, and to help save the program at UCSB. She lost her life during the events of that fateful day as the plane she was on was deliberately crashed into the Pentagon. We pause to remember her spirit and dedication to the sport, and her inspiring effort to pursue her dreams, as well as the others who lost their lives that fateful day.
Citing a $75M shortfall, Minnesota will terminate four Men's sports after this season, including Men's Gymnastics. Stay tuned for more updates.
Link: Letter
SCSU has hired Byron Knox as their new Head Coach. Know was the Head Coach at Bridgeport for the last 16 seasons, and led the squad to six straight USA Gymnastics National titles. He was a gymnast on SCSU's Men's team, a member of the US National team and coached at SCSU and Yale. Bridgeport faces some uncertainty as the university has been acquired. A number of gymnasts have transferred during the off-season.
Link: Release
Sydney Wrighte announced on Instagram that she will be taking a medical retirement from gymnastics.
W&M is cutting seven Olympic sports due to budget shortfalls.
Andrew Eddington and Brittany McClure have been appointed assistant coaches. Polina Shchennikova has been added as volunteer coach.
Heidi Vanderboom competed last season for Temple. SEMO looks to her to add depth to vault and beam lineups.
More sad news, as we are now down to 16 men's teams. Due to COVID related revenue losses and a projected deficit of $60 to $75M, Iowa has made a decision to terminate Men's Gymnastics at the end of the 2020-2021 season. They will also cut M&W's swimming and men's tennis.
Link: Iowa Letter