With coaching changes across multiple programs, 2026 will be a season of fresh starts. From big-name hires to promising up-and-comers, this roundtable explores which new coaches—and programs—are worth watching and how these changes might shake up the season.
Which new head coach hire are you most intrigued by?
Peri: Maile’ana Kanewa-Hermelyn taking the reins at Michigan is exciting, even if for no other reason than being the one to follow 36 years of Bev Plocki. Kanewa-Hermelyn has done great work with the Wolverines across the leg events and is expected to hit the ground running, developing the next batch of four- and five-star Michigan recruits into star collegiate gymnasts.
Sara: Josh Nilson getting the head coaching opportunity at Illinois seems like the perfect fit. He has had coaching experience before at Temple, Penn State, and Utah State and even helped Temple to three consecutive conference titles from 2019-21. He could help Illinois climb both conference and national rankings.
Alyssa: California was in a tough spot after losing the Howells, but I am intrigued by Geralen Stack-Eaton. I did not anticipate Stack-Eaton leaving Minnesota, so this move was surprising to me. This could be a good hire for California. Stack-Eaton has recruited well in Minnesota, and while it will be difficult at first, the academics at California should allow her to recruit well and bring the team back up quickly, even though there will likely be a fall-off this season.
Tara: While it was a fairly straightforward hire with Bev Plocki’s retirement, I’m interested to see Maile’ana Kanewa-Hermelyn take the reins at Michigan. She has the athletic pedigree and years of experience under a successful coach; she’s more than capable of being a great head coach for the next generation of Michigan gymnasts.
Which coaching staff change is most likely to shake up conference standings?
Peri: Is it cheating to pick Oregon State? The Beavers were conference-less in 2025 and are slated to join the Big 12 this winter. With the duo now of Brian and Jade Carey on the coaching staff, Oregon State will pose a serious threat to Utah and Denver as the team to watch in the conference.
Sara: Corrinne Tarver being hired as Southern Connecticut State’s new head coach could be the difference between the team being last in the GEC and within the top half of the standings. Tarver was a standout at Georgia, becoming the first African American gymnast to win an NCAA all-around title. With her experience coaching the first HBCU gymnastics team at Fisk, she certainly could help the Owls in a substantial way.
Alyssa: I really like Sara’s answer of Corrinne Tarver, but I think someone needs to state the obvious and say the California and Clemson changes in the ACC. The regular season standings last year in the ACC saw California at the top all year, with Clemson in the bottom half with North Carolina and Pittsburgh. With the new coaching additions and the athletes that Justin Howell and Liz Crandall-Howell brought with them, I see Clemson moving up in the rankings and California falling back.
Tara: This one is two-fold. The Howells leaving California is enough of a shakeup in the ACC, but going to Clemson adds another layer to it. That opened the door for a new hire at California in Geralen Stack-Eaton. It’s fair to say the ACC standings could look different in 2026!
Who’s a lesser-known hire that deserves more attention?
Sara: Cassandra Ringer being named Illinois State’s newest head coach is a big win for the Redbirds. She was named the WCGA Regional Co-Assistant Coach of the year in 2023, helped Ball State to second place at the MAC championship in consecutive seasons in 2023 and 2024, and guided the team to a school record 198.025 at the Tennessee Collegiate Classic meet. With many years of experience under her belt, she could definitely earn her first conference title as a head coach.
Alyssa: I hope for the best for LIU, and I like the hires the Sharks made to the coaching staff. As a lower-ranked team, adding an experienced club coach in Dalton Struebin and a former assistant coach on one of the top DIII teams in Aleah Cassmeyer, are two really promising additions, and I am looking forward to seeing how a new-look coaching staff can help elevate the program.
Tara: Mary Rice at Denver and Jessie McDonough at Clemson are both incredibly successful level 10 coaches who are sneaky-good hires with incredible coaching potential for their respective teams. While they don’t have the college pedigree, both have a track record for developing highly touted recruits who have moved on to make excellent college gymnasts.
What recruits or transfers followed a new coach—and how will that pay off?
Sara: I don’t think we will see it right away, but with the hiring of Maile’ana Kanewa-Hermelyn as Michigan’s next head coach, we could see more athletes choosing or transferring to Michigan in the next few years. Only time will tell, but transfers or recruits choosing the school could boost the Wolverines’ chances at securing their second national championship title.
Alyssa: We typically see more athletes following coaches, but this cycle, the Howells were the main ones to bring athletes along. Several recruits transferred commitments for both the 2025 and 2026 classes, and Ella Cesario transferred for grad school. Cesario was an all-arounder for the Golden Bears last season and will be a great addition to the Clemson lineup on several events. This senior class for Clemson is large, which will make those 2026 recruit switches more key for the program outlook.
Tara: It’s hard not to say the transfers and commitment switches we saw with Clemson. Ella Cesario should have an immediate impact, and flipping Sophie Stuart will also help the Tigers. It shores the Tigers up beyond this season too, with five-star recruit Morgan Reihl following the Howells to Clemson.
Which new coach is most likely to immediately boost a team’s recruiting?
Sara: It’s hard not to choose the Howells for this one. The coaching duo has gotten many athletes to flip their commitment, and I think that will continue for years to come, given the success they’ve had in the past at Cal.
Alyssa: This question is challenging because there are teams that already had good recruiting, and then teams that were fine with recruiting that added an internal hire or a similar-level hire where I wouldn’t expect to see a substantial change. The Clemson change is the only one I see having a big boost. My dark horse pick would be Illinois State, as the team has had some strong individuals the past several years and brought in some coaches from teams that have recently gone to regionals.
Tara: The obvious answer is the Howells, but I’m going to go a different direction here. Josh Nilson and Maile’ana Kanewa-Hermelyn are both internal hires, but keeping them on staff helps retain recruits while having fresh blood at the top of the coaching staff, which could drive further success.
What’s one bold prediction you have for a team with a new coach?
Peri: Connor McCool can bring massive change to Pitt, coming directly from Illinois’ incredibly consistency-driven MAG program. Floor prowess aside, I’m eager to watch McCool’s approach to having a droppable score and the 10.0 system.
Sara: LSU won its first national championship in 2024, and Haleigh Bryant was a big part of that win. Now, she has been hired as the next assistant coach following Ashleigh Gnat’s departure. With her expertise and experience, I could see her help the Tigers earn another national championship title in the 2026 season.
Alyssa: California is not going to drop off as much as many assume. The Golden Bears are losing talent, but there are still great athletes and coaches who want to bring the team back to nationals.
Tara: Denver’s strong bar lineup won’t see as much of a dip from the departure of Linas Gaveika with the addition of John Carney, who coached California’s successful squad on that event.
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Article by the editors of College Gym News
