One small decision can change history. For us, that can be choosing what sport we pursued as a kid that led to friendships, what classes we took that sparked an interest, or what college we went to that influenced how we grew up. For gymnastics programs, this change that can spark a change in trajectory often comes in the form of a recruit or a new coach. While this is not an all-inclusive list, here are some of the top moments that changed the trajectory of a program.
Southern Utah – Hiring Scotty Bauman
Bauman will be celebrating his 35th year leading Southern Utah this upcoming season. In his tenure he has overseen the program grow from a relatively unknown team to one that has broken program records continuously and is in the postseason conversation every year. Some of the highlights from over the years include a 16th-place finish in 2015 and the string of three consecutive conference titles that is still ongoing. After a 21st-place finish in 2025, which was the highest finish in a decade, the Thunderbirds will be looking to extend the conference championship streak to four.
California – Hiring the Howells
Before the Howells were brought to California, the Golden Bears were a team that was in and out of the postseason. Justin Howell joined the coaching staff for the 2012 season which saw the Golden Bears finish in 49th; this was a slight improvement on the previous three years that saw finishes of 57th, 55th, and 50th. Within two years on the job, California jumped in the rankings to 16th and spent the next decade coaching teams that didn’t finish the season ranked below 18th. The Golden Bears became a nationals contender on a yearly basis and set a program record finish of second in 2024. California may be in the next turning point in the program with the departure of the Howells to Clemson. Clemson is in a better pace now than California was when the Howells arrived, so watch out for the Tigers.
Missouri – 2021 Recruiting Class
Many may mark the turn around for Missouri happening when Shannon Welker was hired before the 2014 season. The prior season the Tigers finished the season ranked 43rd, and Welker brought the Tigers up to a 21st place finish in year two. This is a big jump, but the Tigers had spent most of the previous decade ranked in the teens and twenties. The big jump came with the arrival of the 2021 recruiting class. That class was highlighted by Amari Celestine and Jocelyn Moore, and the two were able to elevate their program to new heights. In the 2022 season, Missouri set a program record finish of fifth place that was then broken this past season with a third-place finish. That would not have been possible without the difficulty and identity that Celestine and Moore brought to the program that Missouri will now look to build upon as the pair graduates.
Towson – Hiring Jay Ramirez and Ashley LeVine
Before Ramirez and LeVine entered the Towson program, Towson had spent over 15 years without finishing the season ranked higher than 40th. Towson had also been a part of the EAGL conference since its creation in 1995 and had not yet won the title. Ramirez and LeVine transformed the program into a top contender in the EAGL and a team that competes in the postseason. That freshman class that came in with Ramirez and LeVine watched the program improve from a 48th-place finish to making regionals each season and winning the program’s first EAGL title in 2023. While Towson just missed out this past season, there is no doubt that Towson is in a much better place than it was in 2019.
Rhode Island – Olivia Keyes’ Commitment
Rhode Island has long been one of the lowest-ranked teams in Division III, including a last-place finish as recently as 2019. When Keyes joined the program in 2021, she helped bring the program to new heights. In just her first season, Rhode Island finished the season seventh in Division III, up from a 12th-place finish in 2020. Over the past four seasons Rhode Island has created a new standard for team scores, and Keyes has continued to break her own program all-around, bars, and floor records. In her senior season, Keyes helped Rhode Island qualify for the NCGA nationals for the first time since 1998 and finish fifth at that meet. The Anchorwomen will have some big holes in the lineup without Keyes this season, but Keyes has certainly left her program in a better place than how she found it.
Oklahoma – Hiring KJ Kindler
Kindler has turned Oklahoma into a dynasty. Before she arrived in Norman, Oklahoma had never won an NCAA title, and in the eight seasons prior the program had not finished higher than tenth. The dynasty we know of today did not start immediately as it took five seasons to rank higher than eighth, but once that barrier was broken, the Sooners have only finished the season ranked lower than third on two occasions. To rise to these heights, Kindler has a reputation of “fixing” broken elites. The first of those that she recruited was Hollie Vise who was on the team that placed second in 2010. Without Oklahoma hiring Kindler back in 2006, we would likely be looking at a very different program.
These transformative moments highlight that the right person at the right time can reshape a program. Several of these teams will be dealing with the loss of the person or people who sparked this change which will make those programs interesting to follow in 2026. Who knows, maybe the next program-altering moment will take shape this season.
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Article by: Alyssa Van Auker
Yaaaas go Scotty!