2023 coaching changes and athlete transfer portal

[RedBirdie]

Pitt starts us off! Head Coach Samantha Snider is out.

https://pittsburghpanthers.com/news/2023/4/3/womens-gymnastics-head-coaching-change-announced-for-pitt-gymnastics.aspx

 

[irichluck21]

Iwas jussssst about to start this thread!! LOL

Wow on Sam Snider, guess they were not happy Pitt didn’t get a full team into regionals.
Of course, I am assuming a bit by reading into that announcement.

 

[RedBirdie]

I read the announcement the same way.

 

[irichluck21]

Well, there is also no more EAGL for Pitt as the ACC is sponsoring a championship, and with NC State and UNC already pretty consistently making regionals, it is clear the athletic department wants Pitt right there and competing for a championship.

Interesting that they stated that Snider is no longer in the head coach position but didn’t mention anything about her husband, assistant coach Ryan Snider.

Even more interesting is that Samantha is completely removed from the coaches page but Ryan is still listed.

Granted an incoming head coach can replace the assistants and that will likely happen so Ryan and Amanda Wellick will likely be gone and a whole new coaching staff.

It’s Pitt and now ACC but not a program that is making regionals, so it will be intriguing to find out who they choose. Maybe one of the assistants from MAC or MIC. I don’t think an established head coach will leave for Pitt but I could be wrong. Maybe one of the division 3 or 2 schools like TWU. Lisa Bowerman would be a great choice. Or maybe Ashley Lawson of SEMO. That is if they are interested, they might not be.

I also wonder what other coaching changes we will see.

 

[RedBirdie]

If I were the Pitt AD, I wouldn’t exactly be thrilled that they finished last at EAGL championships. Bad enough to miss regionals when you’re hosting, but to crash and burn like that at conference championships? Eeesh.

 

[cats]

I imagine an AD would not apply the performance standard for a head coach to an assistant coach just because they are married, or assume that if one is underperforming they both are.

 

[irichluck21]

I imagine an AD would not apply the performance standard for a head coach to an assistant coach just because they are married, or assume that if one is underperforming they both are.

You never know these days. If we are looking at performance, the team is weakest on bars, where Ryan is the primary coach. He also does most of the vault coaching. Those were the teams weaknesses at EAGL championships and they only put up 5 athletes on vault and bars. They were inconsistent on bars and vault all year long. They were also all over the place on beam.
So all signs would point to a lack of performance from him as well as her.

Probably just let him remain in that position for now and once a new coach comes he will be replaced.

@RedBirdie Yeah, finishing 8th at EAGL when they were ranked 5th going in is not a good look. I do know that it was the goal for the team to qualify to home regionals, and that goal was set at the start of the year.

 

[cats]

Oh, I see. I thought you were saying it was odd that they didn’t cut both coaches because they’re married and therefore likely to both move on, not because they’re both doing their separate jobs poorly.

 

[blake]

Sidney Washington in the transfer portal for Pitt.

Whatever Lacey Rubin did witth ASU on beam, it worked. They ended on beam confidently with Maryland/PSU putting a little pressure on them to not count a fall. They repeated it in finals.

 

[irichluck21]

Yeah, beam was their lowest ranked event (19) all yeah but they came through at the end.

As far as I know, ASU never replaced the other assistant/associate head coach (Jess Santos) and also never replaced the volunteer coach, so it has been Santos and Rubin on their own.

We never did get actual information about Jess leaving.

 

[irichluck21]

Jay Ronayne is removed as head coach for Iowa State.

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State University Senior Associate Athletics Director Dr. Calli Sanders announced today a head coaching change for the Cyclone women’s gymnastics program, which has been guided by Jay Ronayne since 2006.

“We are grateful for Coach Ronayne’s dedication and commitment to our women’s gymnastics program over the last 17 years, and wish him well in his future endeavors,” Sanders said.

The Cyclones finished the 2023 season 8-10 overall, last at the Big 12 Championship and missed an NCAA Regional bid for only the second time since the 1996-97 season (excluding the 2019-20 season impacted by COVID-19).

Ronayne, who registered a 145-197-5 record during his Iowa State tenure, coached Cyclone student-athletes to 11 Big 12 Conference individual titles, six NCAA Gymnastics Championships individual event specialist qualifications, eight All-America honors, two Big 12 Gymnast of the Year awards, three Big 12 Newcomer of the Year honors and one Big 12 Event Specialist of the Year.

A national search for Ronayne’s successor will begin immediately, Sanders said.

 

[irichluck21]

Alondra Maldonado (Iowa State)
Lauren Rutherford (NC State)

Sirena Linton (Arizona) has also entered the transfer portal, apparently there was a lot of turmoil between her and three other gymnasts who for the last two years have refused to wear Pride ribbons for the Pride meet. Linton is a member of the LGBTQ+ community.

 

[MaryClare]

She wants to dictate what others wear in their hair…nice

 

[irichluck21]

She wants to dictate what others wear in their hair…nice

That did not happen.

However, I imagine it must not feel too great that some of your teammates do not support you or your community.

 

[MaryClare]

Sounds like a good lesson for the adult world. Not everyone is going to share your views/beliefs.

 

[irichluck21]

Not everyone is going to share your views/beliefs.

And not everyone has to remain in the type of environment where they don’t feel supported.
Hence, transfer portal!

 

[MaryClare]

I wasn’t suggesting she should. Although how wearing a particular ribbon makes any difference I don’t know. Surely if there was any actual homophobia or bullying then she’d have reported this in the official way.

But wow, being unhappy about people’s hair is…

 

[irichluck21]

But wow, being unhappy about people’s hair is…

Obviously, this is not the issue.

 

[MaryClare]

turmoil between her and three other gymnasts who for the last two years have refused to wear Pride ribbons for the Pride meet

It is literally about what other people wear in their hair.

Refusing to wear pride ribbons is the issue. Not that these team mates treated her differently or did or said anything offensive. They just didn’t want to wear pride ribbons. Not even refused to compete a pride meet, just refused to wear ribbons.

If someone’s hair style isn’t conforming to your views and this is an issue for you, you need a major reality check regarding tolerance, inclusion and diversity of opinion

 

[irichluck21]

It is literally about what other people wear in their hair.

Refusing to wear pride ribbons is the issue. Not that these team mates treated her differently or did or said anything offensive. They just didn’t want to wear pride ribbons. Not even refused to compete a pride meet, just refused to wear ribbons.

If someone’s hair style isn’t conforming to your views and this is an issue for you, you need a major reality check regarding tolerance, inclusion and diversity of opinion

You have once gain completely missed it.

But moving on…not going to keep going back and forth.