Gymnastics Broadcasts Coaching Employees Updates

 First 12 months head coach Chris Brooks’ employees is full as he’s introduced the addition of 1 assistant coach, Zan Jones, and promotion of two coaches, Kyla Ross and Catelyn Branson.

Jones involves the Gymbacks after two glorious seasons with the Texas Woman’s University Pioneers. With Jones’ help, the Pioneers received back-to-back WCGNIC nationwide titles in 2025 and 2026. Jones has been named a WCGA DII Assistant Coach of the Year 3 times, the latest this spring. Jones was additionally tabbed MIC (Midwest Independent Conference) Assistant Coach of the Year in each seasons with TWU.

In the 2026 slate, he was the Pioneers’ main vault and bars coach. The group set a brand new program file of 49.350 on bars in March and athletes in his occasions earned a mixed WCGNIC 10 All-America honors and three WCGA honors.

Prior to his time at TWU, Jones spent a 12 months with Talladega College in this system’s inaugural season and likewise frolicked as a leisure and group coach at Trussville Academy of Gymnastics. He graduated from the University of Alabama with a level in human efficiency and train science and served as a pupil supervisor for the Crimson Tide gymnastics group.

Along with the addition of Jones, Brooks has introduced the promotion of Kyla Ross and Catelyn Branson from assistant coaches to affiliate head coaches.

Ross has been with this system for the reason that 2022 season, first as a volunteer assistant and dealing her manner up since. She started her time with the Gymbacks teaching beam in her first two seasons, through which time the group posted then-program data in back-to-back years, and nonetheless rank inside the program’s prime 10 beam scores ever.

Kyla has since taken over the vault squad and most lately helped the Gymbacks set a brand new program file of 49.675 on the occasion in 2026. Arkansas didn’t rank decrease than seventh on vault in 2026 and checked in as excessive as No. 2 within the nation. Arkansas ended the season at NCAA Championships, the place the Gymbacks scored their highest mark on the occasion at NCAAs since 2012 and third highest ever, 49.375.

Freshman Allison Cucci earned a 9.9375 on vault, tied for fourth within the session for First Team All-America honors and tied for sixth total. Her rating is the third highest ever by a Gymback on vault at NCAAs, and the perfect for Arkansas since 2014. Both Morgan Price and Leah Smith additionally earned All-America nods, bringing Ross’ teaching complete to 5 on the occasion, together with two SEC All-Freshman honors and one All-SEC.

Ross’ management culminated in a historic first for this system in February, when she helped information Morgan Price to the first-ever Perfect 10 in program historical past on vault in opposition to Kentucky.

Catelyn Branson returned to the Arkansas employees forward of the 2025 season, serving to to steer the Gymback flooring squad. In that point, Branson has led the Gymbacks to 2 of their prime 5 greatest flooring scores ever and Arkansas has been ranked as excessive as No. 2 within the nation on flooring within the final two seasons. In 2026, over 60% of the group’s scores on flooring have been 9.850+.

Arkansas earned one All-America nod at nationals this season and Branson has coached 4 athletes to 5 to All-SEC honors on the occasion during the last two seasons. Four in 2026 was probably the most all-conference nods for Arkansas on any occasion and probably the most All-SEC flooring honors for the Gymbacks ever.

Branson served as Lindenwood’s head coach from 2022 to 2024, the place she was named 2024 Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association (WCGA) South Central Region Coach of the Year and the Midwest Independent Conference (MIC) Coach of the Year. She led the Lions to their second consecutive and fifth total USAG nationwide championship and seventh MIC title in 2024 and collectively oversaw two particular person nationwide titles, two MIC champions, 20+ All-America nods and 20+ All-MIC honors.

Branson had a previous stint at Arkansas from 2020 to 2022, through which time the Gymbacks ranked as excessive as third on beam and second on flooring.

More Information

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