The end of the season always brings about lots of changes, and this season, the coaching carousel is spinning faster than ever as teams have begun announcing changes. Step on and get ready for a wild ride as we break down who’s in, who’s stepping out, and who could hop on as the holes begin to fill for 2027.
IN: Ryan Roberts, Georgia Co-HC to Auburn HC
Everyone totally had “SEC head coach switches” on their offseason bingo card, right? Roberts will replace Jeff Graba as the head coach for the Tigers off the heels of helping the Georgia Bulldogs return to nationals for the first time since 2019 – a level of program turnaround and coaching success that Auburn will expect to see Roberts repeat with its talented roster and the opportunity to build his own staff from the ground up. It will be interesting to see if Roberts retains any of Auburn’s previous coaching staff. Sara Carver-Milne, who served as Auburn’s associate head coach from 2022 onwards, could be a viable candidate to remain on staff – and if she doesn’t, she could certainly snatch up a top-tier coaching position elsewhere.
OUT: Oleksii Koltakov and Marissa King, Georgia ACs
How do you improve upon your first nationals appearance since 2019? If you’re Georgia, you completely annihilate your coaching staff and rebuild from scratch. The husband-wife pair were responsible for vault and floor, which both tallied top-five finishes in 2026 for the Bulldogs. Georgia’s success this year should make Koltakov and King a hot commodity in the coaching market depending on their desires. Do they follow Roberts to Auburn for familiarity’s sake or do they take a chance and begin their head coaching era? Either way, any team is going to be very lucky in nabbing this pair after what they were able to accomplish in Athens, Georgia in just a few short years.
IN: Megan Haught, Denver AC to Georgia AC
Haught will be filling one of those coaching spots in Athens, joining the Bulldogs after a year in Denver, her first collegiate coaching position. A star for the Bulldogs from 2005 to 2008, Haught spent nine years as a club coach at WOGA alongside Cécile Canqueteau-Landi. She primarily coached bars at Denver and inherits an extremely talented bars squad from former co-head coach Roberts – including a hopefully healthy Lily Smith.
With one assistant slot filled, Georgia will be seeking one more replacement to fill out the staff. Of interest for this spot could be Brian Carey. He coached alongside Canqueteau-Landi at two consecutive Olympics and spent the last three seasons as an assistant at Oregon State. If Carey is looking to relocate from Corvallis, Oregon, he could be exactly the solution Georgia needs to retain its momentum on vault and floor.
OUT: Heather Brink, Nebraska HC
Oh, Nebraska. A storied program that was in the Super Six just a few years ago, it’s now on the hunt for its next leader, as Brink was not renewed after leading the Huskers since 2019 and being on staff since 2012. This is another option for Koltakov and King, as they spent two years here before heading to Georgia. If not them, then Nebraska alumni could also play a role in this job search. Catelyn Branson has championship experience, as she led the now-defunct Lindenwood program to back-to-back USAG championships in 2023 and 2024, and current Ohio State assistant coach Makayla Curtis just contributed to the program’s sweet 16 run. Nebraska alumnus and current Florida associate head coach Owen Field could be in the mix for this as well after serving as assistant coach at Florida since 2016.
IN: Austyn Fobes, Kent State AC to HC
One rider has already secured her seat on the carousel as Kent State promoted Austyn Fobes to head coach for the 2027 season. Fobes, who has been with the Golden Flashes since 2024, will be filling the shoes of storied head coach Brice Biggin. Biggin announced his retirement in January, giving Kent State ample time to find the perfect candidate for the role. Fobes will bring along a solidified understanding of the Kent State program, and will hope to continue the high standard of performance Biggin established as a new era begins for the Golden Flashes. Her promotion opens up an assistant coaching spot perfect for a first-timer looking to ease their way into the coaching world or a Division II or Division III veteran coach ready to make the leap to Division I.
OUT: Guard Young, BYU HC
Weeks after being named the Big 12 Coach of the Year, longtime Cougar coach Young’s contract was not renewed, coming as a surprise to many. BYU finished the season ranked third in the Big 12 behind Utah and Denver, but it appears the university expects more if it was willing to fire a coach off the heels of a conference award. Many are expecting current assistant coach Natalie Broekman to be in contention for a promotion after coaching Brynlee Andersen-Broekman to nationals on beam a year ago as well as the Cougars’ success on that event since her arrival. If not, it’s possible that BYU pulls from one of the other state schools to fill out its staff. Former Ute Maile O’Keefe could be an option to fill a hole if Broekman gets promoted, or maybe the Cougars bring back MaKenna Merrell-Giles after two separate one-season stints in 2023 and 2026.
OUT: Jimmy Pratt, Utah AC
In the midst of Utah’s abnormal season, head coach Carly Dockendorf announced that longtime assistant Pratt would be “stepping away” from the Red Rocks, leaving the Utes without a bars-specific coach for the second half of the season. With his departure, a spot is available on a coaching staff that will be looking to immediately right the wrongs of Utah’s 2026 season. Former Denver associate head coach Linas Gaveika stepped away from collegiate coaching after the 2025 season, but could stand out as a top pick for this position should he wish to return to the NCAA. Gaveika redefined Denver as a bars team throughout his tenure, and could be exactly what the Red Rocks need to fight their way back to top contender status. Utah State assistant Robert Ladanyi could also be of interest here.
OUT: Kylie Kratchwell, Arizona Associate HC and Shelby Martinez, Arizona AC
Arizona announced Thursday afternoon that Kratchwell and Martinez will be departing the program just a year after earning South Central Regional Assistant Coach of the Year honors. Arizona completed the 2026 season down a coach after former associate head coach Taylor Spears stepped away from collegiate athletics in August, and will now need to fully reload its staff with the exception of longtime head coach John Court. O’Keefe could be a solid contender here, in addition to any of the former Iowa State assistants. Former LIU and Arizona State assistant Jazmyn Foberg could make a return to the desert to fill a spot in Tucson as well. As for Kratchwell and Martinez, both former Wildcats could emerge as prime candidates for open positions elsewhere.
NAME TO KNOW: Laurent Landi
With a coaching spot open in Athens, it seems more likely than not that Landi will be formally joining his wife. Landi, who departed his head coaching role at World Champions Centre in Texas following Canqueteau-Landi’s appointment as Georgia’s co-head coach, served as the personal coach for countless NCAA stars throughout his club coaching career. Having both Landis leading the GymDogs would be a major move for the program and could cement Athens as the place to be for any gymnasts hoping to continue their elite pursuits throughout college.
NAME TO KNOW: Jazmyn Estrella
Despite Iowa State’s program being discontinued due to “irreconcilable differences,” the primary issues were allegedly with the athletic director and head coach. Hopefully, this doesn’t dissuade a school from taking a chance on one of the assistant coaches. Of the three, Estrella, a Temple alumna, has hinted she is still interested in remaining in the profession. While her first Power Four coaching job didn’t end as she expected, we firmly expect her to remain a contender and get a second chance in 2027.
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Article by Sarah Smith and Savanna Wellman
