The coaching shuffle in NCAA Women’s Gymnastics continued today with the hiring of a new head coach and two assistants. Eastern Michigan University named Jay Santos as their head coach. Ohio State hires Taylor Jones as an Assistant and Michigan State added Mike Rowe as an assistant coach. 

 

Jay Santos has been named the new head gymnastics coach at Eastern Michigan University. Santos will leave his position as associate head coach at the University of Illinois.

Release via EMU 

 

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – Eastern Michigan University Vice President and Director of Athletics Heather Lyke announced Tuesday, June 17, that Jay Santos has been named the Eagles' head women's gymnastics coach. Santos comes to Ypsilanti after spending three seasons as associate head coach at the University of Illinois. Just the third head coach in program history, his first official day at Eastern Michigan will be June 23, 2014.

 

Santos, who owns 15 years experience of coaching and competing at the Division I level, recently completed his third season as the associate head coach and fourth year overall in Champaign, Ill. The Bridgewater, Mass. native arrived at Illinois in 2010 following stints at Iowa State University and The Ohio State University. At UI, he served as the head bars coach while assisting and spotting on the other events. He also had an integral role in recruiting, along with overseeing all equipment-related matters.

 

"We are thrilled to welcome Jay and his wife, Jessica, to Eastern Michigan University," Lyke said. "Jay's coaching background and competitive experiences along with his passion to positively impact our gymnastics student-athletes make him an ideal person to lead our program.  He has studied our program, student-athletes and is prepared to guide our team to great heights."

 

MSU has announced the addition of Mike Rowe as assistant coach.  Rowe leaves a coaching position at Pitt. Rowe served as assistant coach with primary focus on the uneven bars and recruiting coordinator at the University of Pittsburgh. 

Release via: MSU 

 

EAST LANSING, Michigan - Michigan State gymnastics announced the addition ofMike Rowe to the coaching staff on Monday. Rowe rounds out the staff joining head coach Kathie Klages and assistant coach Nicole Curler.
 

"We're very excited to welcome Mike back to Michigan State University," said Klages. "He is so excited to get started at his alma mater and so proud to be coming home. We can't wait to get started. I really appreciate his enthusiasm and excitement for the position."
 

Rowe received his bachelors of science in landscape architecture from MSU in 1985 and was a member of the cheer squad.

"I'm very excited," said Rowe. "I'm an alum; so this is kind of a dream come true. My family is back in Michigan. My niece is a pole vaulter who's going to be a senior this year. The fact that I'll be there for her senior year is just the cherry on top."

Rowe comes to MSU from the University of Pittsburgh, where he served as assistant coach with primary focus on the uneven bars and recruiting coordinator for the past nine years. While there, he was a two-time Northeast Region Assistant Coach of the Year and coached two East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) bar champions, three EAGL Rookies of the Year and an NCAA Regional Qualifier on bars.
 

"Mike has done an outstanding job with recruiting at the University of Pittsburgh, so we're excited to bring that energy and enthusiasm for that area to MSU," added Klages, "We believe that with this being his alma mater and having been here first-hand, he'll have a lot to bring to the table in terms of discussing Michigan State in a positive light. We're very excited. Mike's had nine years of experience at the University of Pittsburgh and we feel he'll bring a wealth of knowledge with him to the program."

 

Ohio State has hired former standout Taylor Jones as an assistant.  She's served as an assistant at BGSU the last two seasons.  She replaces Meredith Yonushonis.

 

Release via: Ohio State

 

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State women’s gymnastics team has added former BuckeyeTaylor Jones as an assistant coach, head coach Carey Fagan announced Tuesday. Jones replaces Meredith Yonushonis, who guided the Buckeyes as an assistant for six seasons under Fagan.
 

“We are excited to have Taylor join the staff and know that her experience competing for Ohio State, along with her coaching success at Bowling Green, has prepared her for this position,” Fagan said. “Her inner drive as an athlete and ability to translate that to the student-athletes makes her a perfect fit for our team. She will primarily be responsible for coaching balance beam and choreography and also will play an important role in recruiting.”
 

Jones spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach at Bowling Green, helping lead the Falcons to their best conference finish in 22 seasons. In addition, Jones guided Alyssa Nocella to the 2013 Mid-American Conference balance beam title.
 

A native of Edmond, Okla., Jones excelled as a four-year letterwinner at Ohio State from 2009-12. Jones was a first team All-Big Ten selection and Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2009 and co-captained the Buckeyes in 2012 when the team finished 10th at the NCAA Championships, the best team finish in 22 years. Jones also was named an NACGC/W Scholastic All-America honoree in 2012.