Montana Rall Joins Illinois Women’s Gymnastics Coaching Staff
May 27, 2026 | Women's Gymnastics
NEWS
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois women's gymnastics head coach Josh Nilson announced on Wednesday the hiring of Montana Rall as an assistant coach.
Rall joins the Fighting Illini after spending last season as an assistant coach at Nebraska.
"I'm incredibly honored to join the Illinois women's gymnastics program and am grateful to Josh for the opportunity to be a part of a program with such a strong vision for the future," Rall said. "I am excited to invest in these student-athletes, contribute to the culture that is being built, and create an environment in which each athlete can reach their full potential both in the gym and in life. I can't wait to get started!"
During her time with the Huskers, Rall worked primarily with the floor lineup while assisting on vault and helped guide Nebraska to an NCAA Regional berth. She oversaw routine construction, skill progressions, daily practice planning, social media, and strength and conditioning.
Rall also helped with various aspects of the program's recruiting efforts, including prospect evaluations, mailers, communication, campus visits, and camp correspondence.
Prior to her tenure in Lincoln, Rall spent over a decade coaching all levels of club gymnastics, including several years at Omaha Gymnastics Academy coaching Levels 8-10 and HOPES athletes. Serving primarily as a lead beam coach, choreographer, and spotter, she helped develop athletes who earned more than 29 regional titles and 12 national qualifications, including HOPES Championships and Nastia Liukin Cup qualifiers and multiple Devo Camp selections.
Several gymnasts she helped develop have gone on to compete collegiately, including Division I scholarship athletes.
Across her coaching career, she has spent time in various coaching roles at Metro Stars Gymnastics (2019-23), Rowland Ballard Gymnastics (2017-18), Amplify Gymnastics (2016-17), and Nebraska School of Gymnastics (2009-13).
Rall (née Whittle) competed at Kentucky from 2013-16 and featured regularly in the Wildcats' beam and bars lineups. She secured SEC Academic Honor Roll and University of Kentucky Dean's List recognition all four years while receiving SEC Academic Team honors in 2014-16. She was named to the SEC Community Service Team in 2015.
"Montana stood out to me from the beginning. She is passionate about the sport, but also shares my passion of doing things the right way," Nilson said. "She cares about her athletes and wants them to succeed in the classroom, community, competition, and in life. I am excited that she will be joining the famILLy. The future is bright in Champaign!"
A native of Lincoln, Nebraska, Rall earned her bachelor's degree in kinesiology and exercise science from Kentucky in 2016.
She is married to her husband, Jesse, and has two sons, Ryker and Jagger, and a daughter, Winslow.
