Penn State announced that it has hired Sarah Brown as the women’s gymnastics team’s eighth head coach in program history.

Penn State Names Sarah Brown Women's Gymnastics Head Coach https://t.co/WQRNCDpEN9 pic.twitter.com/wJv4T7Cesc

— Penn State Women’s Gymnastics (@PennStateWGYM) May 4, 2017

She takes over for Jeff Thompson, who was fired in February. Thompson co-coached the team with his wife Rachelle until she resigned back in May after the two were were accused of creating a hostile environment within the team and emotionally abusing their athletes.

Since the end of Thompson’s tenure, Kera Molinaro and Josh Nilson coached the team on an interim basis.

Brown, who won the Big 12 gymnast of the year twice during her college career, begins her tenure with Penn State after a successful season as head coach of the Eastern Michigan gymnastics team, where her team won the MAC Championship and made an appearance in NCAA regionals this past season.

“We are ecstatic to have Sarah Brown joining the Penn State family as the leader of our women’s gymnastics program,” Barbour told GoPSUSports.com. “Sarah is a rapidly rising star in the coaching ranks. She has been involved with some of the nation’s premier women’s gymnastics programs as a student-athlete, coach, and administrator.

In addition to last season’s success with Eastern Michigan, Brown worked as an assistant coach for the University of Michigan in 2015-16, helping the Wolverines win the Big Ten title. She also spent three years as an assistant coach at Southeast Missouri State University, winning Assistant Coach of the Year in 2014.

“I’m honored and thrilled to be a part of Penn State Athletics,” Brown said. “Sandy and her staff have been incredible throughout this process and I can’t thank them enough for making State College feel like home. This university has so much passion and pride and I’m looking forward to guiding the gymnastics team to the top of the Big Ten Conference and onto the national stage.

About the Author

Mikey Mandarino

In the most upsetting turn of events, Mikey graduated from Penn State with a digital & print journalism degree in the spring of 2020. He covered Penn State football and served as an editor for Onward State from 2018 until his graduation. Mikey is from Bedminster, New Jersey, so naturally, he spends lots of time yelling about all the best things his home state has to offer. Mikey also loves to play golf, but he sucks at it because golf is really hard. If you, for some reason, feel compelled to see what Mikey has to say on the internet, follow him on Twitter @Mikey_Mandarino. You can also get in touch with Mikey via his big-boy email address: michael.p.mandarino@gmail.com

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