Temple University Athletics
Gymnastics Sweeps Regional Coaching Honors
4.7.21 | Women's Gymnastics
PHILADELPHIA -- The Temple gymnastics coaching staff swept the Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association (WCGA) Northeast Region coaching honors on Thursday, as head coach Josh Nilson was named Coach of the Year and assistant coaches Rachel Page and Cassie Hageman were named Assistant Coaches of the Year.
Nilson earns his third-straight coaching honor in three years at Temple, two at the conference level (ECAC - 2019, 2020), with this being his first Regional Head Coach of the Year nod. In three seasons with the Owls, Nilson's squads have now won three conference titles -- two with the ECAC and one with the EAGL.
Page, who was slated to become the Owls' volunteer assistant at the start of the year, took over interim assistant duties in November and helped guide the Temple floor and vault squads to new heights. Hageman, Temple's graduate assistant coach a year ago, was elevated to assistant at the start of the season, taking over the beam team and leading them to a record-setting season.Â
The Temple gymnastics team exceeded all expectations but their own in 2021, breaking program records in nearly every category. The Owls competed in the EAGL for the first time in program history and made the most of their debut, capturing the 2021 EAGL Championship in an upset. Temple recorded a huge 196.500 at the championship meet, shattering the previous best program record of 196.050.
Temple earned a team spot at the NCAA Championships for the first time since 1992. Though the team had to withdraw due to Covid-19 protocols, the bid was the first ever for the Owls since bids were decided by national rank.Â
In team competition, Temple's 2021 squad put up eight scores in the top-25 in program history, including three in the top-five on the Owls' all-time list. The Owls finished the season ranked 30th overall in the NCAA with a program record NQS of 195.963. Temple's ranking put the second in the North East region, behind only #4 Michigan.
Temple set program records for NQS on every event in 2021, led by a #22 national ranking on floor with an NQS of 49.300. On beam, Temple finished with a 49.144 (29th), while on vault the Owls were at 49.019 (32nd), and on bars they had a 48.894 NQS (41st).Â
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Nilson earns his third-straight coaching honor in three years at Temple, two at the conference level (ECAC - 2019, 2020), with this being his first Regional Head Coach of the Year nod. In three seasons with the Owls, Nilson's squads have now won three conference titles -- two with the ECAC and one with the EAGL.
Page, who was slated to become the Owls' volunteer assistant at the start of the year, took over interim assistant duties in November and helped guide the Temple floor and vault squads to new heights. Hageman, Temple's graduate assistant coach a year ago, was elevated to assistant at the start of the season, taking over the beam team and leading them to a record-setting season.Â
The Temple gymnastics team exceeded all expectations but their own in 2021, breaking program records in nearly every category. The Owls competed in the EAGL for the first time in program history and made the most of their debut, capturing the 2021 EAGL Championship in an upset. Temple recorded a huge 196.500 at the championship meet, shattering the previous best program record of 196.050.
Temple earned a team spot at the NCAA Championships for the first time since 1992. Though the team had to withdraw due to Covid-19 protocols, the bid was the first ever for the Owls since bids were decided by national rank.Â
In team competition, Temple's 2021 squad put up eight scores in the top-25 in program history, including three in the top-five on the Owls' all-time list. The Owls finished the season ranked 30th overall in the NCAA with a program record NQS of 195.963. Temple's ranking put the second in the North East region, behind only #4 Michigan.
Temple set program records for NQS on every event in 2021, led by a #22 national ranking on floor with an NQS of 49.300. On beam, Temple finished with a 49.144 (29th), while on vault the Owls were at 49.019 (32nd), and on bars they had a 48.894 NQS (41st).Â
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