Alaska gymnastics, just like the state, has its own way of doing things. Head coach Marie-Sophie Boggasch knows that better than anyone.
Boggasch, originally from Germany, moved to the U.S. to compete for the University of Alaska, Anchorage from 2013-16. She has since stuck around in Anchorage, beginning her career as assistant coach and now as head coach. Boggasch owns her own airplane to explore the scenic rugged terrain of the state, living like a true Alaskan. She credits her time at UAA gymnastics for her current lifestyle.
Now in her sixth year as head coach, Boggasch has proven herself a reliable leader for Alaska. She has led the Seawolves from uncertain times to national appearances, building the culture from the ground up along the way.
Having competed for the team herself, Boggasch is familiar with the unique approach required to plan the competition season. As the school furthest from any other gymnastics program, efficient travel logistics are a critical component of a smooth schedule. To reach a balance with both time and funding, the Seawolves frequently schedule two meets in a given weekend, either away or at home. While it’s common for other teams to compete twice in one weekend, it is essentially required for the Seawolves to have a full season. Boggasch explained, “[The travel] is something that we battle every year with the scheduling. It’s a challenge that we probably don’t share with any other team.” This format saves time and money spent on travel and spares training time, all while giving the athletes the practical experience of multi-competition weekends.
It can be a hard sell to recruits, but the UAA coaching staff knows how to capitalize off their strengths: “We always put our people first, our individuals, and that’s what I continue envisioning for our program,” Boggasch explained. “The experience that everybody has when they come to Alaska is just improving continuously.”
Junior Claudia Lessig came to Anchorage from Texas, unsure of what she wanted but looking for an adventure in her college career. She has since become a crucial asset for the Seawolves, competing all-around and contributing the most points to the team this season.
In Lessig’s recruiting process, the distance was alluring and the schedule daunting, though not a deal-breaker. “Alaska really had everything—the people, the adventure, all this travel…It’s hard coming from club when you do one competition maybe every couple of weeks,” said Lessig. “Honestly, I kind of love how bad the schedule is. You just get used to it.”
As if the location didn’t make running the program hard enough already, in 2021, the Alaska team suddenly found themselves on the chopping block. The administration threatened to cut the program due to cost, leaving the future of Alaska gymnastics up in the air. Boggasch and the coaching staff were faced with the major challenge of raising enough funds to save the program—in the end, they were successful, and the gymnastics team was reinstated.
Since then, Boggasch feels that the program has found a second wind: “We have been growing every single year since our reinstatement,” Boggasch said. “Our behind-the-scenes depth has skyrocketed, and I’m just really excited to continue showing that growth and seeing how it pays off.”
That growth can be observed directly with Alaska’s participation at the Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics National Invitational Championships. Prior to 2025, UAA would end their team season at the conference championship—an exciting place to finish—but the Seawolves were always left wanting more. Though it has sent a multitude of individuals to regional meets, Alaska has never participated in postseason competition as a team. The last to qualify was Sophia Hyderally for beam at the 2019 Corvallis regional, overlapping with Boggasch’s first year as part of the coaching staff.
When the qualification requirements changed, the team was beyond ready to take the next step. The UAA gymnastics program was first developed in the 1980s, and the creation of the WCGNICs finally offered an end to the over 40-year stretch without a postseason assignment.
The 2026 season was the Seawolves’ second appearance at the WCGNICs as a team, and the energy was palpable. “We have been so excited to participate, and we saw a huge improvement from last year to this year from our team performance,” said Boggasch. “I’m really excited to continue with this championship so that it feels like we’re the veteran team that we technically are, but in a situation like this, we’re literally sophomores at this point.”
The Seawolves were eliminated after the semifinal this year, but demonstrated grit and depth with a striking season-high beam performance. From the semi, five individuals qualified to the event finals. There was a lot to celebrate, and more motivation to gain.
Boggasch is already looking ahead, anticipating greater results as the program continues to grow. “I do think it was probably our best average we’ve done in a really long time,” Boggasch said, referencing the season as a whole. “But as far as some of these career highs or team scores that we want to break records with, next year we’re really hoping to show some of those bigger scores.”
Just having the opportunity and ability to make the long journey to Pennsylvania for the WCGNICs is a huge step for the Seawolves. Building postseason success takes resources that might be hard to come by in the far reaches of the sub-Arctic state, but Boggasch and the coaching staff are well-positioned to take on the challenge.
“Alaska presents a very unique location. It comes with unique challenges, but the opportunities outweigh it, and it’s special,” Boggasch said. “The people that we recruit, the people that we surround ourselves with—and of course, Alaska, with the nature that surrounds us—is an experience like no other.”
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Article by Frances Leadman
