CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois men's and women's gymnastics interim head coach Daniel Ribeiro and head coach Nadalie Walsh announced on Thursday the hiring of Julia Abel as Director of Operations for the 2022-23 season.
"My staff and I are really excited to add Julia to the Illini gymnastics family," Ribeiro said. "This will allow us to focus our attention on coaching and mentoring our athletes in the gym in pursuit of championship titles."
Abel joins the Fighting Illini after serving as the Coordinator of Board Committees and Operations for the University of Illinois Board of Trustees Office where she worked since 2012. She was also the Business Administrative Associate for the Board of Trustee from 2013 to 2020 and Office Support Specialist from 2012-2013.
"Hiring Julia is going to be an incredible advancement for the women's gymnastics program," Walsh said. "Her expertise in operations will absolutely play a critical role in creating an even better experience for the student athletes. Julia comes to us with a long history of experience of working at the university and with a love for the sport that is tangible. I could not be more excited to be welcoming her to our Fighting Illini family"
Prior to her work with the Board of Trustees, Abel worked as the head women's tennis coach from August 2009 to January 2011 and the assistant women's tennis coach from August 2008 to July 2009 at Knox College.
The East Peoria, Illinois, native received her bachelor's degree in philosophy and liberal studies with concentrations in biology, chemistry, and psychology from Bethel College in 2005. She then went on to get her master's in divinity with a concentration in education from Duke and her doctorate of education in interdisciplinary leadership with an emphasis in higher education administration from Governer's State University.
"I am so excited about this new opportunity," Abel said. "I love the sport of gymnastics and have built a solid skill set within the realms of operations and administration through my previous work at Illinois. My hope is that the combination of those two things will allow me to positively impact both programs as they seek to continue the traditions of excellence that they have established!"
