With the conclusion of every NCAA gymnastics season, we start to see some reshuffling amongst coaching staffs across the country. Today we welcome two new Head Coaches to the NCAA gymnastics world: Tim Garrison and Jason Butts. 

Tim Garrison, a five-year assistant coach at Nebraska and former club gymnastics coach, has been named the Head Coach of the University of Kentucky. This program has been without a head coach since October with the unexpected departure of long-time head coach Mo Mitchell.  Assistant coaches Chuck Dickerson and Heather Hite led the program during the 2011 season. 

 

Prior to Nebraska, Garrison was a successful club coach, spending most of his time at SCEGA in California. Most notably, Garrison coached Rachel Tidd to the 2001 World Championships where the helped the US women win the bronze medal. At Nebraska, Tim was primarily the vault and floor coach so the Huskers will begin their search to fill that position. 
Read the press release on ukathletics.com

 

At the University of West Virginia, Linda Burdette-Good announced her retirement on April 5th following 37 seasons with the Mountaineers. After a national search, the Director of Athletics decided to promote from within. Following a five-year tenure that has seen him rise from assistant coach to associate head coach, Jason Butts has been elevated to West Virginia University’s third gymnastics head coach.  

 

Butts is a graduate of the University of Georgia and he brought 12 years of club coaching experience to WVU, most recently from Classic City Gymnastics Academy in Athens, Ga.
Read the press release on msnsportsnet.com

 

In the final 2011 season rankings, Kentucky finished 25th in the nation but at the bottom of the strong SEC Conference. West Virginia finished at #36 nationally and 5th in the EAGL Conference.