Georgia GymDogs
Founded1981
UniversityUniversity of Georgia
Athletic directorJosh Brooks
Head coachCourtney Kupets (3rd season)
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
Home arenaStegeman Coliseum (Capacity: 10,523)
NicknameGymDogs
National championships
1987, 1989, 1993, 1998, 1999, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
Super Six appearances
1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014, 2016
NCAA Regional championships
1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
NCAA Tournament appearances
1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023
Conference championships
1986, 1987, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008

The Georgia GymDogs[1] (officially the Georgia Bulldogs) is the women's gymnastics team of the University of Georgia. The team is part of NCAA Division I and competes in the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The GymDogs compete in Stegeman Coliseum in Athens, Georgia.

The GymDogs lead the nation with 10 NCAA Women's Gymnastics championship titles (including five consecutive wins from 2005–09) and 16 SEC championships. The team was coached by Suzanne Yoculan from 1983–2009 and by Jay Clark from 2009–12, Danna Durante from 2012-2017,[2] and is currently coached by Courtney Kupets.[3]

History

The women's gymnastics program was started in 1973 with Melinda Airhart as the head coach, and the team competed in the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW). After the 1979–80 season, the team began competing in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) following the dissolution of the AIAW.[4][5]

On July 1, 2009, Suzanne Yoculan retired after 26 years as head coach, and Clark, her assistant coach, took over as head of the program.[6][7][8] In 2012, Clark was replaced by Durante.

Championships

As of 2012, the team had won 10 NCAA Women's Gymnastics championships.[9][10] As of 2012, it had also won 16 Southeastern Conference titles (1986, '87, '91, '92, '93, '94, '96, '97, '98, '99, 2001, '02, '04, '05, '06, '08)[11][12] and 22 NCAA regional titles.[11][13][14]

Georgia Bulldogs Team NCAA National Championships
Year National Champion Score Runner-up Score Location
1987 Georgia 187.900 Utah Red Rocks 187.550 Jon M. Huntsman Center,
Salt Lake City, Utah
1989 Georgia 192.650 UCLA Bruins 192.600 Stegeman Coliseum,
Athens, Georgia
1993 Georgia 198.000 Alabama Crimson Tide 196.825 Gill Coliseum,
Corvallis, Oregon
1998 Georgia 197.725 Florida Gators 196.350 Pauley Pavilion,
Los Angeles, California
1999 Georgia 196.850 Michigan Wolverines 196.550 Jon M. Huntsman Center,
Salt Lake City, Utah
2005 Georgia 197.825 Alabama Crimson Tide 197.400 Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum,
Auburn, Alabama
2006 Georgia 197.750 Utah Red Rocks 196.800 Gill Coliseum,
Corvallis, Oregon
2007 Georgia 197.850 Utah Red Rocks 197.250 Jon M. Huntsman Center,
Salt Lake City, Utah
2008 Georgia 197.450 Utah Red Rocks 197.125 Stegeman Coliseum,
Athens, Georgia
2009 Georgia 197.825 Alabama Crimson Tide 197.575 Bob Devaney Sports Center,
Lincoln, Nebraska

NCAA individual event champions

Georgia's home venue

As of the end of the 2016 season, 20 Georgia gymnasts have won a total of 42 individual event championships.[11][15]

Georgia Bulldogs Individual NCAA Championship Titles
Gymnast Balance Beam Vault Uneven Bars Floor Exercise All-Around
Brittany Rogers2016
Brandie Jay2016
Kat Ding2011, 20122012
Courtney McCool2008
Grace Taylor2008
Courtney Kupets2006, 200920072006, 200920092006, 2007, 2009
Cory Fritzinger2001
Suzanne Sears2000
Karin Lichey1998
Kim Arnold19981997, 1998
Jenni Beathard19981997
Leah Brown19961997
Leslie Angeles1995
Lori Strong1994
Agina Simpkins1993
Heather Stepp1992, 19931993
Hope Spivey19911991, 19941991
Kelly Macy1991
Corrinne Wright19891989
Lucy Wener1986, 1987, 1989

Coaches

Head coaching records

The team has had eight head coaches.

Name Seasons W-L-T Win %
1 Melinda Airhart 1973–1976 14 – 15 – 0 0.483
2 Andy Long 1976–1979 33 – 12 – 0 0.733
3 Terri Parsons Richie 1979–1981 28 – 6 – 0 0.823
4 Rick Walton 1981–1983 45 – 31 – 0 0.592
5 Suzanne Yoculan 1983–2009 831 – 117 – 7 0.870
6 Jay Clark 2009–2012 6 – 7 – 0 0.462
7 Danna Durante 2012 – 2017 6 – 5 – 1 0.545
8 Courtney Kupets Carter 2017 – Present 0 – 0 – 2 0

Other coaches currently working in the gym include Josh Overton, Jason Vonk, and Katie Heenan-Dodson.

Roster

2023–2024[16]
Name Height Year Hometown Club
Jaydah BattleFRHampton, VAWorld Class Gymnastics
Amanda Cashman5–2GRBelle Mead, NJArena Gymnastics
Haley de Jong5–1GRVancouver, CanadaFlicka Gymnastics
Vanessa Deniz5–45thMillstone Township, NJArena Gymnastics
Katie Finnegan5–3SRKings Park, NYAPEX Athletics
Sidney Fitzgerald5–2SOEvans, GAC&C Gymnastics
Naya Howard5–6SOChesapeake, VAOcean Tumblers
Nicole King5–5SOJohns Creek, GABIO Gymnastics
Ashlyn LaClairGRPort Crane, NYArena Gymnastics
Kelsey LeeFRBradenton, FLLakewood Ranch Gymnastics
Zora MorganFRAtlanta, GAOrlando Metro Gymnastics
Heather ParkerFRRockvale, TNE.T.C Gymnastics
JaFree Scott5–3SOKansas City, MOGreat American Gymnastics Express
Lily SmithFRLimerick, PASilvia's Gymnastics
Holly SnyderFRAnnapolis, MDDocksiders Gymnastics
Anya TurnerFRHighlands Ranch, COColorado Gymnastics Institute
Ady WahlFRZanesville, OHZanesville Gymnastics
Eryn Williams5–1SOKnoxville, TNPremier Athletics

Home venue

Past Olympians

See also

Notes

  1. "2011 Georgia Bulldogs Gymnastics Preview".
  2. Emerson, Seth. "UGA reaches into its recent past for new gymnastics coach: Courtney Kupets". Dawg Nation.
  3. Georgia Gymnastics [@UGAGymnastics] (May 9, 2017). "The new head coach of the Georgia Gym Dogs - @CourtneyKupets!" (Tweet) via Twitter.
  4. Rossiter. Following the 1982–83 season Walton was replaced by Suzanne Yoculan., Erin (December 4, 2006). "Page-flipping gymnastics: Coach Suzanne Yoculan relates ups, downs and details of her successful women's program at UGA". Athens Banner-Herald. Morris Communications. Archived from the original on June 14, 2011. Retrieved March 24, 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. "Year by Year" (PDF). GeorgiaDogs.com. University of Georgia. Retrieved 2008-03-25.
  6. Starrs, Chris (January 8, 2009). "Clark's time to shine". Athens Banner-Herald. Morris Communications. Archived from the original on December 23, 2009. Retrieved September 21, 2009.
  7. Clarkson, Roger (September 20, 2009). "Jay Clark era in full swing with mandatory practices". Athens Banner-Herald. Morris Communications. Archived from the original on 2009-09-26. Retrieved 2009-09-21.
  8. http://www.georgiadogs.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=8800&ATCLID=3758550&?DB_OEM_ID=8800%5B%5D
  9. "Gym Dog National Championships". Georgiadogs.com. Archived from the original on 2006-11-22. Retrieved 2008-03-23.
  10. "National Collegiate Women's Gymnastics". NCAA. Retrieved 2007-04-15.
  11. 1 2 3 "SEC Gymnastics History and Records". SECsports.com. Archived from the original on 2007-10-12. Retrieved 2008-03-24.
  12. "Georgia Biographies: Suzanne Yoculan". GeorgiaDogs.com. University of Georgia Athletics Association. Retrieved 2007-04-15.
  13. "North Central Regional: Georgia takes top spot". NCAA. April 15, 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-15.
  14. "Dogs finish first at Regional". Athens Banner-Herald. Morris Communications. April 13, 2008. Archived from the original on May 27, 2008. Retrieved April 13, 2008.
  15. "Individual NCAA Champions". Georgiadogs.com. Archived from the original on 2006-11-22. Retrieved 2008-03-30.
  16. "2024 Gymnastics Roster". Georgia Dogs. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
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