Top 10 NCAA Coaches Named

Top 10 NCAA Coaches Named

May 20, 2015 by Keri Monstrola
Top 10 NCAA Coaches Named
Following the conclusion of the 2015 NCAA Gymnastics Season, let’s take a look at the Top 10 Coaches (According to collegead.com). These 10 coaches not only had a successful 2015, but have had a very successful tenure with their university. Thogether these 10 coaches have a total of 7 National Championships  and 14 National Coaches of the Year Awards. Note- these top outstanding coaches are not listed in any particular order, along with the list containing 11 coaches

Although not on this list, two top coaches have announced shocking news after the 2015 season. Those two coaches include Rhonda Faehn (Florida) and Greg Marsden (Utah). Faehn shocked the gymnastics community to take a job with USA Gymnastics just days after leading the Gators to their third straight National Championship. Greg Marsden after 40 years has announced his retirement as head coach at Utah. With two top coaches leaving, we look forward to seeing who may join this list next season. 

 
K.J. Kindler – Oklahoma
In just one decade, K.J. Kindler has molded the Oklahoma Sooners into a national gymnastics power. Kindler guided Oklahoma to its first ever gymnastics National Championship in 2014 and did it style, the Sooners set a championship record with a score of 198.175. She is also the first coach in NCAA history to lead multiple programs to the Super six. In 2006, she guided her alma mater, Iowa State, to the Super Six.
* National Championships: 2014
* National Coach of the Year: 2005, 2010 and 2015
* Big XII Coach of the Year: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015


Image Via- UCLA Gymnastics Twitter

Valerie Kondos-Field
– UCLA
A former professional ballet dancer, Kondos Field was named head coach at her alma mater in 1991. Prior to being named head coach, she spent the previous 10 seasons as a Bruin assistant.  She has spent her entire coaching career at UCLA. Her accomplishments include, being named National Coach of the Year four times as well as guiding UCLA to six National Championships, most recently in 2010. She has also coached 11 Olympic contributors during her time at UCLA.
* National Championships: 1997, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004 and 2010
* Coach of the Year: 1996, 1997, 2000 and 2001

 
DD Breaux – LSU
A Louisiana native, DD Breaux has led the LSU gymnastics program for nearly four decades. After graduating from LSU in 1976, Breaux was named head coach in 1978 and has since led the Tigers to four Super Six appearances. She has also coached 146 All-Americans and guided * LSU to 25 top 10 rankings.
* USA Gymnastics Region 8 Hall of Fame
* National Coach of the Year: 2014
* 4 NCAA Super Six Appearances (2008, 2009, 2013, 2014)
* SEC Coach of the Year: 1990, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2000 and 2005

Dan Kendig – Nebraska
Since being named head coach in 1993, Dan Kendig has amassed an impressive .719 winning percentage, with his teams going 486-175-4 over that time. Prior to landing at Nebraska, Kendig guided Indiana University of Pennsylvania to two Division II titles, in 1988 and 1989.
* National Coach of the Year: 1999 and 2003
* 11 Super Six Finals appearances
* Big Ten Coach of the Year: 2012
* Big XII Coach of the Year: 1997, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2007, 2009, 2010, and 2011
* 15 Division I Conference Championships
 
Kristen Smyth – Stanford
The Cardinal program has reached unprecedented heights under Kristen Smyth. Prior to her arrival in 2002, the program had never reached the Super Six finals. Smyth has since guided
* Stanford to the Super Six times.
* National Coach of the Year: 2004
* Four time Pac 12 Coach of the Year
* Three Pac 12 Championships



Bev Plocki – Michigan
A lot can change in a quarter of a century and Bev Plocki has changed Michigan gymnastics for the better. In her 26 seasons, she has turned the Wolverines into a national program with Super Six expectations. She has guided her team to 10 Super Six appearances with two runner up showings.
* National Coach of the Year: 1994
* Big Ten Coach of the Year: 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2010 and 2015
* Coached four NCAA individual champions
* 20 Big Ten Championships


Image Via- Gym Dog Twitter
 
Danna Durante – Georgia
In only her fourth season as a Division I head coach; Danna Durante has restored the Georgia program back to national prominence. She has led the Gym Dogs to three straight top-10 national finishes. During her coaching career, Durante has coached at some of the nation’s top programs including stints as an assistant at Washington and Nebraska. Prior to being named head coach at Georgia, she spent one year as the head coach at Cal.
* National Assistant Coach of the Year: 2007
* Regional Assistant Coach of the Year: 1999 and 2002

Carey Fagan – Ohio State
When Carey Fagan was named head coach in 2004, she inherited a good, solid program. But Fagan has taken that good program and made Ohio State into one of the nation’s elite. In 2012, she led the Buckeyes to the NCAA Championships in 23 seasons. Ohio State would finish 2012 ranked 10th in the country, Ohio State’s highest finish in over 25 years.
* National Head Coach of the Year: 2012
* Regional Coach of the Year: 2012 and 2009
* Big Ten Coach of the Year: 2007 and 2011

Kim Landrus – Illinois
In just four short years, Kim Landrus has led Illinois to heights the program had never seen. She led the Illini to back-to-back NCAA Championships appearances for the first time ever in 2013-2014. Under Landrus’ guidance, Illinois has climbed as high as 11th nationally in the final rankings.
* National Assistant Coach of the Year: 2009
* Regional Assistant Coach of the Year: 2007


Dana Duckworth – Alabama
In her first year as head coach at Alabama, Dana Duckworth immediately reinforced AD Bill Battle’s decision to name her head coach. She led the Crimson Tide to and SEC Championship and a 4th place finish in the NCAA Championships. No stranger to the program, Duckworth has been involved either as a gymnast or coach at Alabama for over two decades.
*SEC Championships: 2015
 
Jeff Graba – Auburn
In five short seasons, Jeff Graba has guided Auburn to its first showing at the Super Six and highest season ranking since 1993. A three time SEC Coach of the Year, Graba led the Tigers to a sixth place finish in the 2015 Super Six. Most recently, Graba’s assistant, Jenny Rowland, who shared National Collegiate Assistant Coach of the Year honors with fellow Tiger assistant Kurt Hettinger after helping the Tigers reach their first Super 6 in 22 years, was named University of Florida’s new head gymnastics coach.
*SEC Coach of the Year: 2012, 2014 and 2015.
 
 
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