Kaitlyn Betts is entering her third year as an assistant coach after spending the 2018-19 season as a volunteer assistant coach.
In her first season in Champaign, Betts coached the Illini to a runner-up finish at the 2019 Big Ten Championships, led by a conference title on the uneven bars by sixth-year gymnast Mary Jane Otto. Illinois advanced to the second round of the NCAA Ann Arbor Regional and finished third among the four squads on day two.
Prior to Illinois, Betts served a season as a volunteer assistant coach with the women's gymnastics team at University of Michigan. While at Michigan, Betts helped lead the Wolverines to the Big Ten regular season and championship titles. Individually, she helped the Wolverines earn seven All-Big Ten selections, along with having two individual Big Ten champions and a Big Ten Co-Gymnast of the Year. For her efforts last season, Betts was named Co-NCAA Regional Assistant Coach of the Year.
While in graduate school, Betts transitioned into a team manager role for the Utah State women’s gymnastics team from 2015-17. As a team manager contributed in the gym as a spotter and equipment and apparel manager, while also assisting with business operations such as practice logs, travel and meal arrangements, fundraising, alumni events, and social media.
Under Walsh’s tenure, Betts was a gymnast at Utah State from 2011-15. She helped the Aggies qualify to NCAA regionals during her junior and senior years (2013-15), while earning second team All-WAC on vault in 2012. In the classroom, she was a two-time Academic All-WAC selection and four-time Joe E. and Elma Whitesides Scholar-Athlete Award recipient from 2012-2015. As a senior, Betts also served as a student-athlete mentor and was the vice president of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).
As a Junior Olympic gymnast, Betts earned the 2011 Junior Olympic National title on vault, along with placing eighth on bars. In 2010, Betts placed third in the all-around at the National Invitational Tournament (NIT). Betts periodically coached gymnastics since high school, including working the Utah State summer camps for three years.
A native of Canton, Mich., Betts is the daughter of Steve and MaryBeth Betts. She has three siblings, a brother and two sisters. The former Aggie earned a pair of degrees from Utah State University with a bachelor degree in Business Administration in 2015 and a master’s degree in Sport and Physical Education in August 2017.
