2023 Season Preview

MIRANDASMITH

Following the squad’s 42nd appearance in the NCAA Regional Championships and its highest finish at the Big 12 Championship since 2017, the West Virginia University gymnastics team returns to competition for the 2023 campaign.

This season, the Mountaineers are set to host four home meets, including the 2023 Big 12 Gymnastics Championship. West Virginia opens its home slate on Friday, Jan. 13, as it plays host to Kent State and Maryland for the first-ever 80’s Night inside the WVU Coliseum in Morgantown.

The 2023 campaign officially kicks off on Friday, Jan. 6, when the Mountaineers travel to Gainesville, Florida, for a quad meet against Florida, Ball State and Lindenwood. WVU opens its season on the road for the fourth time in the last five seasons.

Here’s what you need to know heading into the new campaign:

• West Virginia is led by 12th-year head coach Jason Butts. He is assisted by associate head coach Travis Doak, who enters his 15th season with the program and ninth as the associate head coach. Assistant head coach Zaakira Muhammad, a former All-American at WVU, enters her third campaign as a member of the coaching staff. • The Mountaineers return to competition following a 13-5 season in 2022. WVU tallied a season-high score with a 196.65 for a third-place finish in the 2022 Big 12 Championship in Denver, Colorado. It marked the squad’s highest finish at Big 12s since 2017. • Twelve of the 13 Mountaineers returning to the 2023 squad earned time in at least one lineup last season, with nine reaching the podium. In all, WVU boasted 82 podium finishes in 2022. • Fifth-year senior Kendra Combs led the squad with 439.6 points last season, followed by graduated senior Rachel Hornung with 428.55. Combs ranked first on the team with 10 event wins, including 19 total podium finishes. • The Mountaineers are led by four seniors this year: Kendra Combs, Emily Holmes-Hackerd, Abbie Pierson and Kianna Yancey. Combs returns for her fifth year of eligibility in 2023. • Combs is the most experienced gymnast on the roster, having competed in 45 meets in four seasons at WVU, amassing 1,103.0 points. • Additionally, seniors Abbie Pierson and Kianna Yancey will look to surpass the 1,000-career point threshold this season. • Seven freshmen look to make their Mountaineer career debuts this season: Kaia Bochow, Brooke Irwin, Carlee Nelson, Olivia Pitzer, Ellie Sigman, Miranda Smith and Emma Wehry • West Virginia is scheduled to compete against all three of its league foes this season, beginning when Iowa State comes to Morgantown for a quad meet on Jan. 29. WVU will face Denver and Oklahoma in road duals on Feb. 12 and Feb. 24, respectively. • The Mountaineers will square off against 15 nonconference opponents this year. • WVU opens its season on the road for the fourth time in the last five seasons, when the Mountaineers travel to Gainesville, Florida, on Friday, Jan. 6, for a quad meet against Florida, Ball State and Lindenwood. West Virginia is 8-12 in seasonopening meets under Butts. • The Mountaineers’ postseason slate starts with the 2023 Big 12 Gymnastics Championship, set for March 18, at the WVU Coliseum in Morgantown, West Virginia. WVU is set to play host to the conference meet for the second time in the last three seasons, as well as the third time since 2014.