Knox relieved of duties as gymnastics head coach

By Dillon Flanigan

Sports Editor

Over the summer, the university athletic department announced that former longtime head coach of the gymnastics team Jerry Nelson had been named interim gymnastics head coach.

Nelson, a former Owl, was the university’s head coach from 2005 to 2020. During his 15-year tenure, Nelson had many successful seasons.

Nelson was the 2007 National Coach of the Year, earning four Eastern College Athletic Conference, ECAC, Gymnastics Coach of the Year honors, and guided the university to three ECAC Gymnastics Championships.

The release went on to say that, “Nelson’s squads also featured an All-American in 12 of his 15 seasons as the Owls’ head coach as well as 82 USA Gymnastics All-America Scholar-Athletes, 73 WGCA Scholar-Athletes, 19 All-Americans, eight ECAC Scholar-Athletes of the Year, five ECAC Rookies of the Year, and four student-athletes who have earned ECAC Athlete of the Year or Most Outstanding Performer laurels.”

During that span, the Owls also won several ECAC championships.

It was also announced that former Owl gymnast and Assistant Coach Isabella Antonangeli would return for the 2024-2025 season.

Nelson is taking the place of the former head coach, Byron Knox. Knox served four seasons at the helm after 16 seasons in the same position for the University of Bridgeport.

The university wished Knox well but did not answer the Southern News’ request for comment.

The Southern News reached out to Knox as well, who stated he was surprised about the move.

“I was told that they wanted to move in another direction,” Knox said. “So, I was given no reason, so I had to respect that.”

In the 2023-2024 season, the team had two perfect 10 scores, as the team made a trip to Nationals in West Chester, Pennsylvania in April.

Southern News reached out to the athletic department to comment what they envisioned for the gymnastics program, but did not hear back.

VOL. 64- ISSUE 2