Year: 2019
Award: Coach of the Year, College
Location/Affiliation: University of Denver
- Coached DU to NCAA Team Final
- Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year
In the college gymnastics coaching ranks, University of Denver (DU) coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart has been acknowledged as one of the best for years. But, 2019 was special for Melissa and her Pioneers. The team put together a record-shattering season, including some impressive firsts. Melissa guided the Pioneers to their first-ever top five national ranking as well as their first-ever NCAA Division I Team Final appearance and the first NCAA regional team championship in DU program history.
For her efforts, the honors poured in. Melissa was recognized by her coaching peers as the 2019 National Head Coach of the Year, the first DU gymnastics coach to receive that honor. In addition, she was named the Region 2 Head Coach of the Year and was voted the Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year for the second time in three seasons!
Along with their tremendous athletic success, Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart’s team members also did an outstanding job in the classroom. Nine of her gymnasts were named Scholastic All Americans and eight were named to the Academic-All Big 12 team.