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New Cyclone Gymnastics Coach Hired - Ashley Miles Greig

BoxsterCy

BoxsterCy

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Ames, Iowa – Four-time NCAA champion Ashley Miles Greig has been named the eighth head coach in the history of the Iowa State women's gymnastics program following a nationwide search, ISU Senior Associate Athletics Director Dr. Calli Sanders announced today.

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Ashley Miles Greig Selected To Lead Iowa State Women’s Gymnastics Program - Iowa State University Athletics

Four-time NCAA champion Ashley Miles Greig has been named the eighth head coach in the history of the Iowa State women's gymnastics program following a natio...
cyclones.com cyclones.com

Interesting hire. Great college athlete and team caption on Alabama championship teams but has not coaching experience, not even as a college assistant (if I read the summary correctly). I am guessing she must have had a home run hitting interview.
 
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Bold move...never served on a college-level gymnastics coaching staff...

After ending her collegiate gymnastics career, Miles Greig entered the automobile finance industry, first at the dealer level for five years before joining JPMorgan Chase Bank’s auto finance division in 2013. Despite her success in the business world, she has stayed connected to the sport she so dearly loves by serving as choreographer to optional and elite level gymnasts, while also working as an analyst for the ESPN family of networks. Earlier this month, she served as a member of the ESPN/ABC broadcast crew for the NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championships.
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She has been one of the bigger and well liked TV analysts in NCAA gymnastics. Has been working a corporate job in addition to the TV work. It’s a swing for the fences hire, that’s for sure.
 
I feel like Pollard has changed philosophies during his time here and more recently has gone after coaches that had previous head coaching experience. I suppose if you have to take a chance at a risk/reward situation it's better to do so on gymnastics than football/basketball.
 
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I am wondering if being on the broadcast team for the gymnastics finals was some sort of "Wow, I really miss this" moment for her that had her throw her hat into the ring for this job. I can't see her winning the job unless she came off as a visisonary in the interview and maybe that's exactly what we need. Another generic coach hire wasn't going to move the program needle much. Need something more to break the "we are what we are" mode and this might be it. I vote like it.
 
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BirdOfWar said:
I feel like Pollard has changed philosophies during his time here and more recently has gone after coaches that had previous head coaching experience. I suppose if you have to take a chance at a risk/reward situation it's better to do so on gymnastics than football/basketball.
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That's the way I'm looking at it. I'm assuming we aren't willing/able to throw a ton of cash at a proven HC so might as well try to find a diamond in the rough.
 
BoxsterCy said:
I am wondering if being on the broadcast team for the gymnastics finals was some sort of "Wow, I really miss this" moment for her that had her throw her hat into the ring for this job. I can't see her winning the job unless she came off as a visisonary in the interview and maybe that's exactly what we need. Another generic coach hire wasn't going to move the program needle much. Need something more to break the "we are what we are" mode and this might be it. I vote like it.
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I wonder if I've heard/seen her on some televised events.
I also wonder if she approached ISU, and what the timeline was for interviews, offer, notice to Jay, etc. Suppose there's a much shorter coach list in gymnastics than most sports..?
 
Also with gymnastics there are only 62 D1 women’s programs so less coaches currently in head coaching or assistant positions to pull from. It’s more likely to have an outside the norm hire in sports like that.
 
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Knowing zero about gymnastics really, is it like wrestling (where I know almost zero)? Because seems in wrestling the guys who are super-champ athletes turn into super-champ coaches (e.g. Cael, Gable).

Also, odd they made the change. JP generally doesn't fire someone for performance in a non-rev sport I think, esp if the performance isn't THAT bad. Maybe former coach just wanted to move on and do something different, not really a firing? Anyone know?
 
CascadeClone said:
Knowing zero about gymnastics really, is it like wrestling (where I know almost zero)? Because seems in wrestling the guys who are super-champ athletes turn into super-champ coaches (e.g. Cael, Gable).

Also, odd they made the change. JP generally doesn't fire someone for performance in a non-rev sport I think, esp if the performance isn't THAT bad. Maybe former coach just wanted to move on and do something different, not really a firing? Anyone know?
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It can happen. We had success with former gymnast turned coach in our own KJ Kindler.

She then wanted better facilities so she went to OU and has built a dynasty there winning 6 national titles.
 
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CascadeClone said:
Knowing zero about gymnastics really, is it like wrestling (where I know almost zero)? Because seems in wrestling the guys who are super-champ athletes turn into super-champ coaches (e.g. Cael, Gable).

Also, odd they made the change. JP generally doesn't fire someone for performance in a non-rev sport I think, esp if the performance isn't THAT bad. Maybe former coach just wanted to move on and do something different, not really a firing? Anyone know?
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The program has been in a downward spiral for the last several years. This year, they missed the NCAA regional meet as a team, which is hard to miss, and have been last in the Big 12 the past two years.

The Cyclones finished the 2023 season 8-10 overall, last at the Big 12 Championship and missed an NCAA Regional bid for only the second time since the 1996-97 season (excluding the 2019-20 season impacted by COVID-19).
 
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Cyclonscin said:
Is that a decent amount for a gymnastics coach? I honestly have no idea, but it doesn't seem like a large sum for any D1 head coach.
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Larissa Libby at Iowa makes $168,300/year. She has been the head coach there since 2004, so she has three more years than Jay.

KJ Kindler makes $300k at OU.

www.oudaily.com

OU Board of Regents approves adjustments to coaches salaries, $42 million total budget for Love's Field

The OU Board of Regents considered funding for adjustments to coaches salaries, new hires and Love’s Field during its Tuesday meeting.
www.oudaily.com www.oudaily.com

Kindler’s contract was extended to 2028 with an annual base salary of $295,000. Additionally, beginning in 2023, Kindler will receive a $5,000 increase each year throughout the remainder of her contract.
 
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