(Tempe, AZ) Sun Devil Gymnastics Head Coach Jay Santos has announced the hire of Kristen Harold as a new assistant coach, who will come to Arizona State after seven years coaching at Texas Woman’s University.
“I am thrilled Kristen chose to join the program,” Santos said. “Her background, experience and approach to coaching make her a great fit for the team. I can’t wait for her to start working with the student-athletes and help continue to push this program to greater heights in the future.”
From 2017-24, Harold was on the staff for the Pioneers, first starting as a part-time assistant coach before and eventually earning an associate head coach title in 2022. She also was the recruiting coordinator.
In 2024, Harold assisted in leading the Pioneers to a historical season, where they placed second in the USAG National Championship after advancing to the finals for the third-straight year. Harold was named the 2022 MIC Assistant Coach of the Year and the 2022 USAG National Assistant Coach of the Year. She helped coach the Pioneers to their 12th USAG National Championship in program history that year. Harold served as the Pioneers’ floor routine choreographer and helped coach Isabel Goyco to her second USAG Floor National Championship. Goyco won the individual title in 2021 and 2022.
Harold was promoted to a full-time Assistant Coach in the Summer of 2018 after being named the 2018 NCAA Division II Co-Assistant Coach of the Year. She was essential to the Pioneers back-to-back USA Gymnastics Collegiate National Championships in 2017 and 2018 and has coached gymnasts to consecutive NCAA Regional competitions.
Harold moved up to the assistant role after working for two years as a graduate assistant under Bowerman. As a GA, Harold assisted the USA Gymnastics Collegiate National Champions in various areas such as helping with the development of beam and bar practice plans, creating team conditioning workouts, recording practice reports, arranging team travel, and other areas as needed.
Before TWU, Harold was a student assistant coach and manager for Utah State, which is where she was a gymnast in college. The Missouri native has also aided as a Camp Coach for Utah State, TWU and Wisconsin-Whitewater.
Originally from Smithville, Missouri, Harold is married to La’Bradford and they have a daughter Tyleigh and a son Ariyon.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Kimberlie Haner
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