Coaches weigh in on new era of ACC gymnastics

For four decades, NCAA women’s gymnastics has been minus a “Power 5” conference, but 2024 marks a new era, with the revitalization of ACC gymnastics.

We sat down with each of the conference’s four head coaches to hear what it means to be brought into the ACC fold — for their teams, their fans, their institutions, and even their recruiting efforts. 

Read our preview of the 2024 ACC Gymnastics Championship here.

A new dynamic

After serving as the head coach of the Georgia Bulldogs from 2012-2017, North Carolina Head Coach Danna Durante knows what conference notoriety means in helping teams up their games:

“The ACC brings an incredible amount of name recognition. Our student-athletes on campus didn’t necessarily understand what the EAGL conference was (because they all competed within the ACC), but everyone understands ACC, including recruits. It brings a higher level of prestige to your program that we’re excited about.”

“I’m also excited for collegiate women’s gymnastics. The addition of Clemson’s program, the ACC sponsoring women’s gymnastics, and the NCAA and ESPN agreeing to a new 8-year deal to air women’s gymnastics on ABC, alongside volleyball and women’s basketball, all speak to the continued growth and popularity of this sport that brings excitement and leadership across the country.“ 

For Clemson Head Coach Amy Smith, who shifted from head coach at Utah State to start the program at Clemson, this inaugural season was something she never envisioned would even be possible:

“It’s an absolute dream come true to be able to start a Power 5 gymnastics program from the ground up and build every piece of it.”

“The team is excited to represent a new Power 5 gymnastics program and understands the magnitude of that. They’re an incredible group of young women, and I’m just so grateful to get to coach all of them.”

Like Durante, Pitt Head Coach Casey Jo MacPherson also coached in the SEC for 10 years:

“It’s awesome to start a new conference for gymnastics. What’s also great is the ACC is a strong athletic conference, so I think ACC fans are going to be excited about adding a new sport. And I feel like it’s going to be a competitive conference right away.”

“When you’re in a competitive conference, it really forces you to be at your best weekend and week out — and that makes everyone stronger too. So I’m excited not just for this year, but to continue to watch all of the programs in the ACC get stronger each year.” 

NC State Head Coach Kim Landrus is in her seventh year at the helm of the program after leaving the Big Ten conference, and she sees the excitement their new conference is bringing to the Wolfpack’s campus: 

”All the sports at NC State are ACC-sponsored sports. So now that gymnastics is, too, just being able to have that opportunity to go win that (ACC conference) trophy like the other sports is special.” 

Chasing championship rings

And speaking of that conference championship trophy, it probably won’t surprise you that all four teams have their eyes set on one similar goal: to take home the first ACC Championship in 40 years.

The Wolfpack won the one and only ACC gymnastics trophy back in 1984, so they’re especially hungry to secure their second one.  

Landrus believes they’ll be able to hit all their big goals for the season — including the ACC championship title, day two at NCAA Regionals, and a top 25 finish — by “focusing on the process and the journey.”

Smith, whose first-year Clemson team has already surpassed the 197 mark and currently sits at No. 29, expects to hit their two goals for the season. “We want to be a seeded team [in the NCAA tournament] with a top 16 finish and to win the ACC championship.” 

For MacPherson, she has the Panthers focused on big-outcome goals, and even though the Panthers are mathematically-eliminated from the NCAA tournament as a team, there is still the conference championship meet and potentially qualifying individuals:

“We won’t be able to achieve those things if we don’t stay focused on the week at hand. What’s the week in front of us look like? What can we do in that particular meet to stay within our process to do the things that will help us achieve those big-picture goals.” 

In their third season under Durante, the Tar Heels will also miss the tournament as a team, but there are other important things that are indicative of the state of the program:

“Beyond [the standard goals]: how are we executing our gymnastics? How are we thriving at the end of the year when it really matters the most? How are we showing up in our community? And what types of people are we becoming? Those are all big-picture goals as we continue to lay the foundation for being a national power.”