The University of California has hired former Nebraska associate head coach Danna Durante as the new head women's gymnastics coach for the Golden Bears. Durante spent nine seasons coaching the Cornhuskers as their beam coach and choreographer and helped them to a 4th place finish at Nationals this season.

 

Durante was the 2007 National Assistant Coach of the Year, 2002 West Regional Assistant Coach of the Year, and 1999 West Regional Assistant Coach of the Year. Before joining the Nebraska coaching staff, Durante was a five-year assistant on Bob Levesque's staff at the University of Washington. 

 

As a gymanst Danna was a standout elite and collegiate gymnast. As Danna Lister, she was a USA elite National Team member and Olympic Trials participant from the state of Oklahoma. She went on to be an All Pac-10 gymnast at Arizona State University. 

 

As we reported last week, Nebraska assistant coach Tim Garrison was named head coach of the Kentucky program so this leaves 2 job openings with the Nebraska women's team. We'll keep you updated as those positions are filled. Dan Kendig has done a remarkable job readying his assistant coaches  for future head coaching positions. Rhonda Faehn and Adrian Burde (now at Florida) were also former assistant coaches for Kendig. 

 

Finally the future looks bright for the Cal program who survived being cut earlier this year. The team needs a fresh start after finishing at the bottom of the Pac 10 the past few years and finished 2011 ranked 50th in the nation. Durante is replacing Cari DuBois who retired after nine seasons as head coach of the Golden Bears. We wish Danna all the best and look forward to seeing Cal climb the rankings.