CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois women's gymnastics head coach Nadalie Walsh announced Thursday that she will be hiring former Illini Ross Thompson for the assistant coaching position. 

"I'm extremely excited to be welcoming Ross Thompson to join my staff here at Illinois," Walsh said. "Throughout the expedited search I was specifically looking for a candidate with a strong desire to be at Illinois, impeccable character, positive energy and solid technical skills. Ross checks all of these boxes. From the very beginning of my journey when I arrived at the University Of Illinois 6 years ago, Ross Thompson's leadership and dedication to excellence as a student athlete always stood out to me. He understands my vision and priority of creating the safest, most healthy and well rounded experience for our student athletes. I am eager to welcome him and his championship mindset back to his alma mater with the women's gymnastics program."

Thompson competed with the Orange and Blue from 2016-2019, where he was a two-time Academic All-American, a Big Ten high bar finalist, co-captain, the team's spirit award recipient and the 2018 CGA First Team All-American Scholar-Athlete. 

"I had the privilege of joining the Illini family as an athlete," Thompson said. "Now, it is an honor to come home as a coach. I've always appreciated the strong culture and support of the Illini community. I am so excited to have the opportunity to contribute to that community, again, alongside this incredible staff. I am very eager to join this program, share my passion for the sport, and witness the team's hard work turn into future success. Illini for life!"