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Ballard, Brooks, Grable Named WCGA Regional Assistant Coaches of the YearBallard, Brooks, Grable Named WCGA Regional Assistant Coaches of the Year
Women's Gymnastics

Ballard, Brooks, Grable Named WCGA Regional Assistant Coaches of the Year

University of Iowa gymnastics assistant coaches Craig Ballard, Brenna Brooks and Kyle Grable have been named the Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association (WCGA) Assistant Coaches of the Year for the North Central region (Region 2), it was announced by the organization on Wednesday.

IOWA CITY, Iowa – University of Iowa gymnastics assistant coaches Craig Ballard, Brenna Brooks and Kyle Grable have been named Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association (WCGA) Assistant Coaches of the Year for the North Central region, it was announced by the organization on Wednesday.

In their first season at Iowa, Ballard, Brooks and Grable helped guide the Hawkeyes to a fifth-place finish at the Big Ten Championships and the regular season after being picked to finish 10th. The GymHawks broke 197.00 for the first time since 2021 against Iowa State posting a 197.025, the fourth highest score in program history. Iowa finished the season ranked 26th with a national qualifying score (NQS) of 196.430.

Ballard oversaw vault and floor, where the Hawkeyes were ranked 23rd nationally on both events. Iowa captured five event titles on each event this season. Junior Karina Muñoz ranked 10th in the Big Ten and 35th nationally on vault to end the year. Junior Emily Erb finished the season ranked seventh in the conference and 34th nationally on floor. Iowa posted a season-high 49.375 on floor against Illinois, where four gymnasts scored a 9.900 or higher in the rotation and Erb tied the program record scoring a 9.975.

Brooks oversaw beam in her first season at Iowa. Against Iowa State, the Hawkeyes scored a 49.425, tying the program’s second highest score in program history on the event. The Hawkeyes went into NCAAs ranked 19th nationally on beam. Iowa captured 10 event titles on beam and both freshman Aurélie Tran and fifth-year Adeline Kenlin ranked 17th in the Big Ten on the event.

Grable oversaw bars where the Hawkeyes took home seven event titles. Iowa finished the regular season ranked 31st nationally on the event and Tran ranked 25th nationally and fifth in the Big Ten. Iowa posted a season-high 49.275 against Iowa State, where all six athletes scored 9.800 or higher with Tran posting a career-high 9.950, tying for second in program history.

Freshman Aurélie Tran earned first team all-Big Ten and all-freshman honors this season. Tran and senior Haley Tyson were named to the Big Ten all-championship team on bars and floor, respectively. 

Six different athletes wrote their names into the record book this season; Muñoz (VT, T-9, 9.925), Tran (UB, T-2, 9.950), Sydney Turner (UB, T-8, 9.925), Kenlin (BB, T-9, 9.925), Erb (FX, T-1, 9.975), and Hanna Castillo (FX, T-6, 9.950).

Ballard, Brooks and Grable are the first assistant coaches at Iowa since 2016 to win this honor.