University of Illinois Women’s Gymnastics Head Coach Nadalie Walsh just finished her seventh season at the helm concluding the 2024 season. Her hire was announced by Director of Athletics Josh Whitman announced on June 12, 2017.
In her first season at Illinois, Walsh took the Illini to a third-place finish at the 2018 NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional, their highest finish since 2015. Walsh coached 2018 NCAA Nationals individual qualifier Rae Balthazor to a Second-Team All-American performance on floor exercise. The Illini finished third at Walsh’s first Big Ten Championships, Where she coached Bridget Hodan to become the Big Ten Beam Champion. Three of her athletes, Balthazor, Bridget Hodan, and Nicole Biondi earn all-conference honors. Under Walsh’s watch, the Illini excelled in the classroom with 10 All-Big Ten Academic performers.
The Illini followed Walsh’s inaugural campaign with a fifth-place finish at the NCAA Ann Arbor Regional and a second-place finish at the Big Ten Championships, which equaled their highest conference finish since 1990. Mary Jane Otto won the Big Ten conference title on bars and was named First Team All-Big Ten. Karen Howell, Kasey Meeks, and Kylie Noonan earned Second Team All-Big Ten honors. Illinois boasted 11 Academic All-Big Ten honorees, the program’s most since 2009.
In the 2022 season, Walsh led two athletes to the NCAA Individual Championships: Takekawa on bars and Townes on vault. Walsh also led the team to a 197.325 finish at NCAA Regionals, a new program record. Walsh was named NCAA Regional Coach of the Year in 2022.
In the 2023 season, Walsh‘s team broke both the beam team record (49.675) and the floor team record (49.525). Walsh also led the team to a fifth-place finish at the Big Ten Championships as well as coaching Takekawa to a shared Big Ten Championship bars title and a second place beam finish. Walsh guided both Takekawa and Townes to All-Big Ten nods -- Takekawa taking first team and Townes being named second team. Takekawa was also named to the WCGA Second-Team on balance beam for the second straight year. The women’s gymnastics team also had 14 Academic All-Americans adding to Walsh’s already impressive numbers.
In the 2024 season, Walsh’s team tied the fifth-highest team score (197.275), tied the fourth-highest bars team score (49.400) and tied the sixth-highest vault team score (49.300). Walsh also had three All-Big Ten athletes: Mia Takekawa (first team), Lyden Saltness (second team) and Arielle Ward (second team). Walsh coached Arielle Ward to a Big Ten Championships third place finish on vault. In the 2024 season, Walsh led Illinois to its 20th-straight NCAA Regionals appearance. The only year they did not reach regionals is when the season was canceled due to COVID-19.
Walsh also dedicates herself to making a positive impact regarding mental wellness. She successfully spearheaded a mental wellness team initiative over the past two years to reach the campus, community and young gymnasts nationwide.
Prior to arriving at Illinois, Walsh spent four years (2013-2017) at the helm of Utah State, where she guided the Aggies to four-consecutive NCAA Regional team appearances, a feat she accomplished very quickly with the program. When Walsh arrived, the Aggies were ranked 54th Nationally. After nine short months she radically transformed the program, guiding them to their first NCAA Regional appearance in 10 years while also leading the team to jump 24 spots in the National rankings, the largest jump any NCAA coach had ever made with a team in less than one year.
Walsh also spent six seasons (2008-2013) as the head coach at Ball State, where she transformed the Ball State Cardinals over her career to from taking them over as a 65th ranked team and rapidly advancing the Cardinals all the way to their best season finish of being ranks 42nd nationally. Walsh also coached six different gymnasts to qualify for the NCAA Regional Championships for a total of 10 appearances, an accomplishment that the program had not seen in over 10 years prior. Walsh also developed four Mid-American Conference (MAC) individual event champions. She also coached one MAC Senior Athlete of the Year, as part of the eight All-Mid-American Conference gymnasts during her tenure at Ball State.
Before taking the position at Ball State, Walsh spent four years (2004-07) as the head coach at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, her alma mater. In her final season at UW-Oshkosh, Walsh guided the Titans to win the 2007 National Collegiate Gymnastics Association (NCGA) National Championship. It was UW-Oshkosh’s second national title in the program’s history and the first since 1989. The title win by the Walsh-led Titans in 2007 halted a six-year reign by UW-La Crosse.
Walsh was named the NCGA Coach of the Year in 2006 and also earned Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletics Conference Coach of the Year accolades in 2005 and 2006, as well as Division III West Regional Coach of the Year honors in 2005, 2006 and 2007.
Before becoming UW-Oshkosh’s head coach, Walsh was an assistant coach for the Titans from 2001-03, helping the Titans to a second-place finish at NCGA Nationals in 2001.
A native of Kewaskum, Wis., Walsh earned her bachelor’s degree in exercise science and fitness from UW-Oshkosh in 2000. She and her husband, Victor, have three children Aiden, Ireland, and Valient.
Year-by-Year Breakdown
2018:
- Third place finish at the NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional
- Finished third at the Big Ten Championships
- Coached an athlete to NCAA Nationals in All Around
- Had Big Ten Beam Champion
- Led three athletes to All-Conference honors
- Led 10 athletes to All-Big Ten Academic honors
2019:
- Fifth place finish at the NCAA Ann Arbor Regional
- Second place finish at the Big Ten Championships
- Coached and athlete to become Big Ten Bar Champion
- Had an athlete to the First Team All-Big Ten
- Led 11 Academic All-Big Ten honors
2020:
- Season cut short due to COVID-19
2021:
- Third place finish at the NCAA Athens Regional
- Tied for third at the Big Ten Championships
- Coached three athletes to Second Team All-Big Ten
- Coached 8 athletes to Academic All-Big Ten honors
2022:
- CGA Regional Coach of the Year
- Broke school record for highest team score (197.575)
- Led two athletes to NCAA Nationals Individual Championships
- Had an athlete to CoSIDA Academic All-District
- Coached an athlete to First Team All-Big Ten
- Led 13 athletes to Academic All-Big Ten honors
2023:
- Placed fifth at the Big Ten Championships
- Had an athlete to be a Big Ten bars co-champion
- Coached second place Big Ten Beam finish
- Led two athletes to Big Ten honors
- Had an athlete to WCGA Second Team on balance beam
- Had 14 Academic All-Big Ten honors
- Led two athletes to CSC Academic All-District
- Had an athlete to Academic All-America Second Team
2024:
- Placed sixth at the Big Ten Championships
- Placed third at the NCAA Regional
- Three All-Big Ten selections
- Fourteen Academic All-Big Ten honorees
- Two CSC Academic All-District athletes
- Eight Big Ten Distinguished Scholars
