University of Iowa Athletics
Head Coach

Larissa Libby

Larissa Libby - Women's Gymnastics - University of Iowa Athletics

Bio

Larissa Libby enters her 20th year as head coach, and 24th year overall, at the University of Iowa in the 2024 season.

During her tenure in Iowa City, the Hawkeyes have been a consistent top 25 team nationally, as she has led the program to 22 straight NCAA Regional appearances (individually or as a team). During the 2022 season, Libby led the Hawkeyes to the NCAA Regional Final and Adeline Kenlin to NCAA beam runner-up honors.  It came on the heels of a 2021 season where Libby led Iowa to the Big Ten regular season title — the first in program history.

The three-time Big Ten and two-time NCAA Regional Coach of the Year has coached 12 WGCA All-Americans and six first-team All-Americans at the NCAA Championships.  Libby has coached 15 Big Ten champions, six NCAA Regional champions, 11 NCAA Championships qualifiers, while 56 student-athletes have earned All-Big Ten honors, including 27 first-team selections.

The Hawkeyes have also excelled in the classroom and has had a strong community presence under Libby’s watch.  Fifty-one student-athletes have been Academic All-Americans.

The Hawkeyes finished the 2023 season third in the Big Ten and ranked 26th nationally. Six GymHawks finished in the top-30 in the Big Ten Conference. Iowa qualified for NCAA Regionals for the 23rd straight time (either as a team or individually). Six different gymnasts won event titles in 2023 with senior JerQuavia Henderson winning 14.

The GymHawks posted the fifth best team score in school history with a 196.925 to finish in second at the Big Five meet on February 24. They posted the highest floor score of the season and the program’s sixth-best score all-time with a 49.450 at the Wasatch Classic.

The GymHawks had four gymnasts earn Big Ten Weekly honors, which is the most in program history. Henderson led the way with two Big Ten Weekly honors earning specialist of the week on February 8 and 20. Junior Adeline Kenlin was named Gymnast of the Week on January 24 and freshman Karina Muñoz was named Freshman of the Week on March 12,

Henderson shared the Big Ten Championship floor title after scoring a 9.950 to earn her second Big Ten Floor Champion title in her career.  She became the 19th Big Ten champion and ninth-floor champion in school history. She earned her third All-American honor of her career after being named to second-team on floor and became just the third Hawkeye to be a three-time All-American. Henderson also earned first-team All-Big Ten honors after winning 12 event titles and tallying 20 top-three finishes during the regular season. She tied her own school record on floor, posting a 9.975 over Minnesota, and has scored a 9.925 or higher seven times in the event. Henderson, who was named Big Ten Gymnast of the Week on Feb. 8 and 21, has a national qualifying standard (NQS) of 9.940 on floor.

Kenlin earned her third straight All-Big Ten honors after being named to second-team. She had five event tiles and 15 top-three finished in the 2023 season. he has posted a 9.950 twice on beam, which is second-best in school history as well as ties for best in school history with a 9.975.

The Hawkeyes logged 45 scores of 9.900 or higher during the 2023 season. Henderson led the team with 16 9.900 or higher scores while eight other GymHawks had at least one, including Adeline Kenlin who finished with 14.

In 2022, the Hawkeyes posted five of the top eight scores in program history during the season, won the first session and finished third at the Big Ten Championships before knocking off No. 6 LSU in NCAA Regionals to advance to the NCAA Regional Final for the first time under the current format.  The Hawkeyes scored a 197.075 in the Regional Final — the second-highest score and just third 197 in program history.

Iowa finished the season ranked 15th nationally and the Hawkeyes climbed as high as No. 9 in the Road to Nationals poll during the regular season, which was the second-highest ranking in school history.

Kenlin earned an individual spot at the NCAA Championships on the balance beam after scoring a 9.950 in the NCAA Regionals.  She then shined on the grand stage, posting a second 9.950 to finish as the event runner-up to Olympic Gold Medalist Suni Lee.  Kenlin’s finish was the highest by a Hawkeye all-time and was the highest beam score for the program at the NCAA meet.  She earned first-team All-America honors at the NCAA Championships, becoming the sixth such All-American in program history.

The Hawkeyes also earned two WCGA All-America honors during the regular season, as Lauren Guerin and JerQuavia Henderson earned the distinction on floor.  Iowa also had five gymnasts — Guerin, Clair Kaji, Bridget Killian, Henderson and Kenlin — garner All-Big Ten honors, a figure that tied a school record set in 2017.  Henderson was a first-team honoree for a second straight season, while Guerin and Kaji earned their fourth career honor.

During the Big Ten Championships, Guerin shared the floor title for a second straight season, becoming the 18th Big Ten champion and eighth floor champion in school history.  Iowa was masterful on floor during the year as Guerin and Henderson both tied school records on the event with 9.975s and the team set a school record on floor, scoring a 49.650 in the comeback win over Penn State.

The Hawkeyes finished the year with 64 scores of 9.900 or higher during the season and nine different gymnasts won at least one event title.

Academically, the program shined with a program record 14 Academic All-Big Ten honorees.  Twenty-two Hawkeyes earned Dean’s List honors over the course of the fall and spring semesters and five gymnasts were President’s List honorees.

Libby led the GymHawks to one of the best seasons in program history in 2021.  Iowa finished the regular season with an 8-0 record to claim the first Big Ten title in program history.  Iowa posted four of the top 10 scores in school history during the season, including a 197.050 — the second-best score all-time — at the NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional.  The Hawkeyes also won the Big Five Meet in Ann Arbor, and finished tied for third at the Big Ten Championships.

Two Hawkeyes — Guerin and Henderson — shared Big Ten floor titles, making them the third and fourth Big Ten floor champions in school history and the first since 2004.  Guerin, Henderson and Kaji were all named to the Big Ten All-Championships team.

Iowa climbed as high as No. 7 in the Road to Nationals rankings — the highest in program history — before finishing the year ranked 17th.  Iowa was rated as the No. 1 floor team in the country for much of the year and the group finished fourth nationally.  The GymHawks set the school record on floor, scoring a 49.600 in a tri-meet against Minnesota and Maryland on Feb. 13 in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Iowa’s record-breaking season led to Libby earning Big Coach of the Year honors for the third time in her career and she coached four All-Big Ten selections, including first-teamers Kenlin, Kaji and Henderson.  Kenlin also became the fourth Hawkeye all-time to earn Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors.

For the first time in school history, Iowa had three All-Americans in the same season as Guerin, Henderson and Kenlin all earned the distinction.  Guerin was a first-team selection with a national qualifying score of 9.950 on floor.  Henderson and Kenlin also tied school records — on floor and beam, respectively — as both athletes posted 9.975 scores (including one perfect 10.000) to tie records previously set in 2004 and 2002.

Iowa was honored early and often in 2021 as the program had a school-record nine Big Ten weekly honors.  Kenlin was recognized four times, while Kaji (three) and Guerin (two) were multi-time honorees.

Academically, the Hawkeyes had 11 student-athletes earn Academic All-Big Ten honors, six were Big Ten Distinguished Scholars, and 21 earned Dean’s List honors over the course of the fall and spring semester.

During the 2020 season, the Hawkeyes climbed as high as No. 25 in the national rankings before the season was cancelled because of the global coronavirus pandemic.  Guerin earned second-team All-America and first-team All-Big Ten honors at season’s end.

In 2019, Libby led the GymHawks to a No. 31 national ranking and Big Five session victory. Iowa defeated Arizona in the opening round of the Corvallis Regional behind a 49.200 floor score, but bowed out of the regional in the second round. An influx of young talent  provided a spark for the team.  Kaji garnered first-team All-Big Ten honors, while senior Nicole Chow and Guerin were second-team selections.

During the 2018 season, Libby led Iowa to its 18th NCAA Regional appearance with a No. 33 national ranking and a 13-win season. The GymHawks finished sixth at the NCAA Regional in Minneapolis with a total of 195.050.  Iowa recorded a season-high 196.400 at the Big Ten Championships to finish fourth overall. Sophomore Charlotte Sullivan was named to the All-Championship Team for the first time in her career. During the regular season, Libby coached three GymHawks — Lanie Snyder, Nikki Youd, and Nicole Chow — to second-team All-Big Ten honors.  In the classroom, Iowa had a record 11 gymnasts earn Academic All-Big Ten recognition.

In 2017, Libby was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year after leading the GymHawks to a No. 18 national ranking and an overall record of 25-11, with a conference mark of 13-5. At the Big Ten Championships, Iowa placed third after recording the best championship score in program history with a 196.725.  Iowa qualified for the Champaign NCAA Regional, where it finished third with a score of 196.050. At the NCAA Regionals, the GymHawks set the school record on beam with a rotation score of 49.600 — shattering the previous record of 49.425.

Freshman Clair Kaji and senior Angel Metcalf finished on top of the podium in the event with season-bests of 9.950 to advance to the NCAA Championships. Metcalf competed in the all-around (39.3100), while Kaji appeared as a specialist on beam (9.8625).

Under Libby’s guidance, the GymHawks compiled a vast list of awards throughout the season. A record five gymnasts — seniors Mollie Drenth and Angel Metcalf, juniors Lanie Snyder and Melissa Zurawski, and Kaji — earned All-Big Ten honors. Drenth, Metcalf and Snyder were also named to the All-Championship Team.  The Hawkeyes also had nine student-athletes named Academic All-Big Ten.

In 2016, Libby was named NCAA North Central Region Coach of the Year after coaching the GymHawks to one of the best seasons in program history with 10 wins and a No. 19 national ranking — the program’s first top-20 ranking since 2011.  The program was selected to host NCAA Regional competition in Iowa City.

Six GymHawks placed in the top 15 for individual events, leading Iowa to a fourth-place finish with a score of 195.450. Libby coached juniors Mollie Drenth and Angel Metcalf to All-Championship team. Drenth was selected to compete at the NCAA Championship as an individual, where she garnered All-America honors by placing third on beam with a score of 9.9125. Drenth was Iowa’s first All-American since Alexis Maday in 2004.

At the Big Ten Championships, Libby coached the team to nine top-20 finishes and a fifth-place finish with a score of 195.875, and senior Alie Glover, Drenth, and Metcalf were named to the All-Big Ten Championship team for a second consecutive year.  Six Hawkeyes earned Academic All-Big Ten honors.

In 2015, the GymHawks qualified for NCAA Regionals, marking the program’s seventh postseason berth in the last eight years. Five GymHawks placed in the top 15 for individual events, leading Iowa to a fifth place regional finish and a score of 194.475. Libby coached the GymHawks to a season high score of 196.500 at the Big Ten Championships — the team’s best championship team result since 2010. Iowa’s performance also marked the highest team score for the program at the Big Ten Championships since 2004.

Iowa was ranked in the top 25 for six consecutive weeks during the 2015 season. The GymHawks ended the season at No. 23, marking the program’s first Top 25 ranking since 2012. Libby led sophomores Mollie Drenth and Angel Metcalf, junior Alie Glover, and senior Sydney Hoerr, to earn spots on the All-Championship Team. Libby is also responsible for the only other gymnast named to the All-Championship Team (Emma Stevenson, 2012) in program history.

Libby coached Iowa to a 195.775-195.175 victory over in-state rival Iowa State inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena in the team’s home finale. The win was the first over the Cyclones since March 8, 2013. Overall, the GymHawks collected eight conference wins, a seven-win improvement from the previous season. Libby coached senior Sydney Hoerr to second-team All-Big Ten honors for the second consecutive year and four student-athletes were Academic All-Big Ten selections.

In 2014, six Hawkeyes were selected for NCAA Regional competition. Sophomore Alie Glover, freshman Angel Metcalf, and junior Sydney Hoerr were selected as all-around competitors, while freshman Jordyn Doherty was chosen to compete on vault and freshman Mollie Drenth competed on floor. Sophomore Maryah Huntley was selected as the alternate behind Drenth on floor. Libby coached Hoerr to second-team All-Big Ten honors, while Hoerr, junior Caitlin Tanzer and sophomore Alie Glover earned Academic All-Big Ten honors.

Libby led Iowa to its sixth-consecutive NCAA postseason appearance, the seventh in her tenure, during her ninth year as head coach in 2013. The Hawkeyes finished sixth in the Norman Regional, posting 194.475. In the regular season, Iowa clinched the Cy-Hawk Series, defeating Iowa State with a season-best, 196.375-194.575. Iowa was the only Big Ten team to down Minnesota, the regular season Big Ten Co-Champions (195.725-195.550).

Under Libby’s guidance, Iowa finished its 2013 homestand undefeated. The Hawkeyes recorded their highest-ever average home attendance (1,414), drawing a season-high 2,303 fans against Iowa State. Iowa found success in the classroom as four GymHawks received Academic All-Big Ten honors.

In 2012, the Hawkeyes finished the season ranked 26th nationally, the highest finish since 2004. Libby coached Tesla Cox to second-team All-Big Ten honors and Emma Stevenson to the Big Ten All-Championship Team. The Hawkeyes hosted the Big Ten Championships, drawing a season-high attendance figure of 1,661. Libby led the Hawkeyes to a fifth-consecutive NCAA postseason appearance, where the team posted a 194.600 to finish fifth at the Seattle Regional.

The Hawkeyes raised their streak to four-straight NCAA appearances in 2011 with a fifth place finish at the Corvallis Regional.  The team placed sixth and posted an 11-6 record during the season. Libby coached three All-Big Ten selections in Rebecca Simbhudas, Houry Gebeshian, and Jessa Hansen. Simbhudas and Gebeshian also made individual appearances at the NCAA Championships as Simbhudas was named North Central Region Gymnast of the Year.

Libby led Iowa to a third place finish at the 2010 Big Ten Championships — its best finish in six years. On top of another NCAA Regional berth, Libby coached Houry Gebeshian to a Big Ten title on beam, just the second in program history. Gebeshian, Jessa Hansen, and Rebecca Simbhudas were selected to the All-Big Ten team. Additionally, Simbhudas qualified as an individual for the NCAA Championships and earned All-America honors on beam.

In 2009, Libby led her squad to a 10-5 record and was named North Central Region Coach of the Year. The Hawkeyes had two first-team All-Big Ten selections — Houry Gebeshian and Jenifer Simbhudas.  In 2008, Libby coached the Hawkeyes to their first NCAA appearance since 2005 and a fifth place finish at the Big Ten Championships. She was selected as Big Ten Coach of the Year and Jenifer Simbhudas was a first-team All-Big Ten selection and a two-time Big Ten Gymnast of the Week.  In the classroom, five GymHawks were named Academic All-Big Ten and seven were academic All-Americans.

In 2007, Libby led the Hawkeyes to a number of individual records. Katie Burke earned career-highs on vault, bars, floor, and in the all-around, ending a highly successful season with an NCAA Championship appearance. Kara Pinjuv, Jenifer Simbhudas, and Katie Turcotte all qualified to NCAA Regional competition. In addition to their NCAA success, Burke earned first-team All-Big Ten honors, while Pinjuv, Turcotte, and Simbhudas were second-team selections.

Libby took over as Iowa’s head coach in June 2005.  She led Iowa to NCAA Regional competition in 2005 and Liz Grajewski was a second-team All-Big Ten honoree.  In 2006, three Hawkeyes competed at NCAA Regionals.  Prior to taking over as head coach, Libby served as the program’s associate head coach in 2004 and was an assistant from 2000-03 where she tutored Maday — an All-American, national champion, and Big Ten Athlete and Big Ten Freshman of the Year.

Before joining the Hawkeyes, Libby served four years as the assistant women’s coach at Louisiana State University, her alma mater. While at LSU, she produced nine beam All-Americans, the top-ranked beam team in 1999 and helped coach LSU to four consecutive NCAA Championship team appearances.

As a competitive gymnast in Canada, Libby burst onto the scene at age 11, quickly becoming a junior national champion and a senior national champion shortly after. A member of the 1987 and 1989 Canadian World Championship teams, Libby led the Canadian team to its best-ever sixth-place finish, placing 18th in the world in the all-around and becoming Canada’s first ever world vault finalist. Along with world recognition, Libby was also a member of the Canadian Olympic team in 1988. She has earned over 30 international individual and event medals and was honored as the Canadian Gymnast of the Year in 1989 and 1990. In 2006, Libby was honored for her many national and international accomplishments. The Whitby Sports Council, the hometown where Libby began her outstanding career, selected Libby to be inducted into the Whitby Sports Hall of Fame, an honor bestowed on some of Canada’s greatest athletes.

Originally from Pickering, Canada, Libby was a collegiate gymnast at Louisiana State. She was a four-year team captain and the Central Region bar champion in 1995. Libby graduated from LSU in 1996, with a bachelor of science degree in psychology and a minor in French. Her husband, Chad, is the program director of athletic training at Coe College. The couple has two daughters, Taylor and Bailey.