With the historic 2006 Minnesota Golden Gophers gymnastics season in the books, the Minnesota coaching staff is now picking some some national recognition for their efforts this season. Gopher Head Coach Jenny Hansen was named the Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association (WCGA) Head Coach of the Year while the Gopher assistant coaching staff of Mya Hooten, Kiki Parenteau and Sam Scherwinski were named the 2026 WCGA Assistant Coaches of the Year. The award is Hansen’s first ever national coach of the year award and the program’s second in existence after Meg Stephenson won the award in 2013 after leading the Gophers to their first NCAA Finals appearance since 2002. It’s the third time in program history that a Gophers assistant has won assistant coach of the year also most recently won in 2013 by Hansen, Louie Johnson and volunteer assistant Jim Stephenson.
The annual awards, determined by a vote of WCGA membership, honor both head and assistant coaches for their impact on student-athletes and program success. Eligible head coaches include those in good standing who are members of the association, while assistant coach candidates must be nominated by their program’s head coach.
Hansen has been the Gophers head coach since the 2015 season and has taken the Gophers to at least the NCAA Regionals in every single season of her tenure with the exception of 20202 when it was cancelled due to Covid. Minnesota has now made the it through the regionals and into the Nationals four times in her 12 year career.
Parenteau is the veteran assistant on the Gopher staff having completed her fifth year under Hansen this season. Scherwinski and Hooten were both added to the staff last summer. Scherwinski had been at Lindenwood and Nebraska prior to coming to the Gophers. Hooten jumped into coaching after a historic five-year run as one of the Gophers top gymnasts helping the team make five NCAA Regionals and two nationals appearances in addition to winning the 2021 Big Ten Championships.
Minnesota had a historic season, posting a program-best 30-13 (7-2 B1G) record. The Gophers made their first ever run to Four on the Floor, becoming the lowest seeded team (13) to ever make it. Minnesota finished with a WCGA Ranking of 4, another best in program’s history.