2022 Coaching Changes (vacancies in post 100)

[Bananna]

Arizona State’s AC Kristin White has been named as the new Utah State Head Coach. They’ve also released the 2023 roster and 7 gymnasts have been removed, including freshman standout Brie Clark…

Kristin White Named Head Gymnastics Coach at Utah State - Utah State University Athletics

LOGAN, Utah - Utah State Vice President and Director of Athletics John Hartwell announced on Friday that Kristin White has been named the head gymnastics coach,

utahstateaggies.com

 

[irichluck21]

They’ve also released the 2023 roster and 7 gymnasts have been removed, including freshman standout Brie Clark…

I wonder how many of them are headed to Clemson. Wouldn’t surprise me in the least if most of them did, especially Brie Clark.

 

[Orange]

Clemson doesn’t start until 2024 though, so all those gymnasts would have to sit out a year. My guess is that the Utah State gymnasts went ahead and put their name in the transfer portal and were waiting to see who Utah State hired. Now they have options in case they don’t like the new coach. Kristin White’s going to be hitting the portal pretty hard if she can’t convince any of them to stay.

If I’m correctly interpreting the vague rumblings of the gymternet, it sounds as if Dana Duckworth got herself into a bit of a mess. I’m going to miss her outfits and interviews filled entirely with sports cliches.

 

[rlayt]

I read there might be an NCAA compliance issue!? Not sure whose scholarship is being referred to on Reddit. And it’s Reddit so….

 

[rue_des_plantes]

I was told Dana tried to forge freshman Corinne Bunagan’s signature on a one-year conditional scholarship contract so she could dump her, as opposed to Bunagan originally signing a multi-year deal.

I’m not sure how this works or how somebody would think they could get away with this. However, the circumstances overwhelmingly point to some kind of compliance transgression or wrongdoing the University cannot wiggle their way out of anyway, so I guess we will see.

 

[irichluck21]

I was told Dana tried to forge freshman Corinne Bunagan’s signature on a one-year conditional scholarship contract so she could dump her, as opposed to Bunagan originally signing a multi-year deal.

If true…this is absolute insanity. Who in their right mind would think they would get away with something like this?

 

[Sasha]

I’ve been hearing rumblings in the gymternet of something untoward having gone down, so I’m inclined to believe this. It would explain the weird timeline too.

Also, what a fucking low thing to do. Unreal.

 

[Orange]

Alabama just announced Ashley Priess-Johnston as the new coach, which seems like an obvious hire. Given the speed with which Alabama hired a new coach it makes me wonder if Duckworth’s departure had been in the works for longer than we knew, although that doesn’t explain why she was at Level 10 nationals four days before she resigned.

I find it amusing that Sarah Patterson is mentioned in the press release and Dana Duckworth’s name is nowhere to be found. Clearly something bad went down there, and if it’s true about the scholarship shenanigans it’s really just baffling that she thought she could get away with that.

 

[RedBirdie]

Possibly the powers that be had been planning Duckworth’s ouster for weeks while keeping her in the dark.

 

[RedBirdie]

Here’s the announcement about Priess’ hiring

Ashley Priess-Johnston Named Head Coach of Alabama Gymnastics - University of Alabama Athletics

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Ashley Priess-Johnston has been named the head coach of The University of Alabama gymnastics program, UA Director of Athletics Greg Byrne announced

rolltide.com

 

[irichluck21]

IMO Ladanyi will end up at Utah State and Ashley Johnston will end up taking the head coach position at Alabama.

Well I was wrong about Ladanyi as that went to White…I got Johnston for Bama though.

Still wondering where Ladanyi is headed, he has been in conversations for head coaching.

 

[Bananna]

I wonder how many of them are headed to Clemson. Wouldn’t surprise me in the least if most of them did, especially Brie Clark.

Not coaching related, but I thought I would share here because you were bang on the money! Six of the gymnasts have now signed as part of the Clemson inaugural class.

Response to this across the gymternet has been mixed due to the controversy surrounding Amy Smith and I must admit some of the quotes of the gymnasts seem to be trying to rebut the allegations against her. But it’s clearly what these gymnasts wanted to do and it’s great news for Clemson.

Clemson Gymnastics Announces Inaugural Signing Class

CLEMSON, S.C. - The first-ever Clemson Gymnastics signees have signed their national letter of intent, marking Head Coach Amy Smith's inaugural recruiting class. The signing class consists of six student-athletes that hail from ___ different states and come to Clemson from Utah State. QUOTE...

clemsontigers.com

 

[irichluck21]

They also have rationale for transferring and their respect and trust in the coaches is in each of their decisions.

 

[One]

I’m kinda confused as to why they transferred a year before Clemson will have it’s first season. Couldn’t they have competed this upcoming year for USU and then transfer?

 

[irichluck21]

I’m kinda confused as to why they transferred a year before Clemson will have it’s first season. Couldn’t they have competed this upcoming year for USU and then transfer?

They would use up a year of eligibility. Brie Clark for example, has 3 years of eligibility left after her freshman year. If she did one year at Utah State, she would only have 2 years left of eligibility. By taking a year off she can keep all 3 years and do them at Clemson.

 

[One]

That makes sense, I thought taking the year off would count against them. Thanks.

 

[irichluck21]

Nope. They can defer and it doesn’t count. Just like Brenna Dowell did to make a run at 2016.

 

[cuuf]

Still seems a bit odd to me. Taking a whole year off but I guess the novelty of inaugural class at a slightly higher profile school did it? Also seems a bit limiting on clemson side to give up half their scholarship roster to a mid level squad? Does that send a bad signal out to potential recruits?

 

[Sasha]

I know that athletes transfer for all kinds of reasons, but I’m having trouble getting my head around the fact that six athletes would pick up stakes from their team/school, move across the country, jump through the hoops of an academic transfer, and sit out a year to join a brand new team. I’d get one, but six was not on my bingo card. I’m sure they have their reasons and I’m not questioning them, but this is something that my talentless, couldn’t dream of being an elite athlete ass just can’t grasp. I’m just baffled.

 

[Caligym]

4 of the 6 are from the south or close to it(Maryland, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama) none from very close to Utah. Makes some sense that they would want to make the move back closer to home, to a higher profile University.