USU Gymnastics Adds Two New Assistant Coaches
Utah State gymnastics head coach Ray Corn announced thatDeEtte Kozlow (pronounced Dee-Ette Koz-low) and Dave Hancock have joined the Aggies’ coaching staff for the 2007-08 season.
Kozlow and Hancock replace Ernestine Russell and Ben Nilson, who bothdeparted the staff after last season for other opportunities.
“I found it important to find two young people that wanted to get intocollegiate gymnastics,” Corn said. “What I’ve loved during their short timehere is their enthusiasm. I’m totally excited.”
A native of Wisconsin, Kozlow joins the USU staff after a 16-year stint at the Colorado Gymnastics Institute in the Denver area, working mainly withLevel 8-10 gymnasts. There, she coached a pair of Aggies, in former gymnast Ashley Barr, who completed her eligibility, and sophomore-to-be Heather Heinrich. Kozlow’s experience also includes working with the Paige Smith Winterfest Gymnastics Classic from 1990-2006, as well as coordinating events for the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame.
Kozlow has had some involvement with the USU program before, doing choreography work for the Aggies during the 2007 season and helping with summer camp last year.
“I got to know the program a little last summer,” Kozlow said. “I like how things are run, enjoyed the kids and got a good feel for the university. It just felt like a good fit.”
Kozlow and her husband have two daughters.
“Certainly, DeEtte stood out because she has worked for us in the past in the realm of choreography and her reputation in the state of Utah is outstanding,” Corn said.
Hancock, who is a Utah native, comes to USU after spending the previous 20 years coaching throughout Utah, including the last seven years at The Gymnastics Training Center of Utah (formerly Missy Marlowe’s Gymnastics). His resumé also includes serving as the Future Stars National team coach, as well as the Junior National Team boys coach and also head coach of the Utah Moscow Goodwill Games team. Hancock also is one of the regional administrators for USA gymnastics.
“I’m excited about coming to Utah State,” Hancock said. “It will be interesting for me to work with kids that are motivated on their own.”
Hancock and his wife have one daughter and one son.
“Dave was one of many applicants that came through the grapevine,” Corn said. “In Dave’s situation, everyone that I interviewed had nothing but great things to say about him, his character, his ability to spot, his upbeat personality. Those are all characteristics that I went after in finding an assistant coach.”
USU was 11-11 last season, finishing sixth at the NCAA Regional Championships, the Aggies’ 26th regional appearance, all under Corn, whowill be entering his 30th season as head coach of the USU program.