PITTSBURGH – Casey Jo MacPherson has been named the head coach of the University of Pittsburgh gymnastics team, as announced Friday afternoon by Pitt Director of Athletics Heather Lyke. She will be formally introduced at a press conference next week at the Petersen Events Center.
 
"When we searched the country for a new leader of our women's gymnastics program, we found the perfect fit in Casey Jo MacPherson," said Lyke. "Her extraordinary competitive background, phenomenal coaching experience, dynamic and genuine personality, and desire to build Pitt Gymnastics into a nationally competitive program make her the ideal person to lead our team. We have great expectations for this program as we head into the first year of gymnastics in the ACC and the upcoming completion of new training and competition spaces in the new Victory Heights arena and performance center. We could not be more excited to have Casey Jo as our new leader."
 
MacPherson becomes the fourth head coach in the Pitt gymnastics history, stepping into her first head coaching role after spending the previous 10 seasons at the University of Missouri. She served as the associate head coach for the past three years after spending her first six season as an assistant coach at Mizzou. MacPherson was the head beam coach while assisting on floor exercise for the Tigers.
 
"From my first conversation with Heather Lyke, it's been clear how committed she and her staff are to every sport and student-athlete at the University of Pittsburgh," said MacPherson. "The passion and dedication throughout the athletic department create an energy that gets you excited about the future. Victory Heights is a state-of-the-art, game-changing facility that is only going to add to the momentum Pitt Athletics is seeing. I am so excited to connect with this talented team and begin building our championship program. I'm very grateful to Heather and the Pitt family for this opportunity and look forward to competing for the first ACC Gymnastics Championship! Hail to Pitt!"
 
In her 10 seasons with the Tigers, MacPherson helped bring Mizzou gymnastics to national prominence. Missouri's top eight all-time beam scores, and nine of the top 12, have all come under her direction. She also coached three Tigers to WCGA Regular Season All-America honors on the apparatus. 
 
During her run in the 2023 season, MacPherson's beam team dominated, setting a new beam program-high score of 49.550 against Arkansas. Over the season, Mizzou earned at least a 49.200 on the apparatus seven times, with three of them being 49.500 or better. At the NCAA Regional Second Round, the Tigers posted a 49.475 on the balance beam, pushing the team to a new regional program high. Alisa Sheremeta confirmed a spot as an individual competitor on the beam based on her 9.950 performance in the NCAA Regional Final and went on to claim All-America honors on beam at the 2023 NCAA Championship.
 
In 2021, MacPherson's beam team finished the regular season ranked 10th nationally with a national qualifying score of 49.369. Over the course of the season, the Tigers scored at least 49.250 on the event six times, including three times of 49.400 or better. At the NCAA Tuscaloosa second round, MacPherson's team totaled 49.450 on beam, which shattered the postseason team beam record and marked the team's second-highest beam score in program history. 
 
MacPherson began her tenure at Missouri after helping lead the Western Michigan Broncos to the 2013 Mid-American Conference Championship. With Western Michigan, MacPherson was the assistant coach and was responsible for beam and floor workouts, choreography, and routine construction. 
 
During her time as a student-athlete for the Arkansas Razorbacks, MacPherson claimed 71 individual event titles and eight All-American honors. Her outstanding leadership helped lead Arkansas to a fifth-place national finish in 2009, 10^th-place national finished in 2009, and 11^th overall in 2010. Additionally, she secured the SEC Championship beam title, was a two-time NCAA Regional Beam and Floor Champion, and she was the 2010 NCAA all-around runner-up. During her junior year as a Razorback, MacPherson shattered the all-around program record with a 39.675 and went on to tie it three more times in her season. 
 
She was a two-time First Team All-SEC honoree and a four-time Academic All-SEC selection, and MacPherson was also named the team's most outstanding gymnast twice.
 
MacPherson joined the Arkansas gymnastics staff as a student-assistant in 2011 and helped the team to a ninth-place finish at the 2011 NCAA Championships. She continued to perform at the senior international elite level competing in the 2011 and 2012 American Classic, the 2011 and 2012 Covergirl Classic, and the 2011 Visa Championships. 
 
Along with her degree from the University of Arkansas, MacPherson graduated in 2019 from the NCAA Women Coaches Academy.
 
Fans interesting in tickets for the 2023-24 Pitt Gymnastics season can fill out the interest form information HERE. 
 
With the goal of establishing each of our teams as perennial championship contenders in the ACC, Pitt has created sport-specific Championship Funds to assist donors to give directly towards the Pitt teams they care about most. Success is a byproduct of support and encouragement that comes from our generous donors. Support the Pitt Gymnastics Championship Fund HERE to help ensure that our student-athletes receive a collegiate experience second to none.