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The Daily Wildcat

The Daily Wildcat

 

Bill Ryden steps down as Arizona gymnastics coach

Coach+Bill+Ryden+speaks+to+his+team+during+Arizonas+196.850-196.850+tie+with+Denver+at+McKale+Center+on+March+14.
Rebecca Noble

Coach Bill Ryden speaks to his team during Arizona’s 196.850-196.850 tie with Denver at McKale Center on March 14.

Longtime Arizona gymnastics coach Bill Ryden stepped down from his role as head coach of the program on Thursday after 17 years in his current role as head coach and 25 total years with the program.

“I’ve been so proud of our time at Arizona, but it is time to take on the next challenge in my life,” Ryden said in a press release. “I’ve had the opportunity to work with some of the finest student-athletes in the country, young women who have graduated and been model citizens.”

Ryden began his time with the program in 1990 and became head coach in 1998 after maintaining an assistant role for eight years.

“We’ve been one of the most successful athletics programs at Arizona and we did so by being a complete program, from athletics, to academics to our work in the community,” Ryden said in a press release. “I’ll be forever thankful for the time I spent coaching at Arizona and the great people I had the opportunity to work with during that time.”

Success is something that Ryden did not shy far from. His Wildcat teams have been to 25 consecutive NCAA Regionals (29 total) and he holds the school record for wins with 219. During his tenure, the Wildcats made 10 NCAA Championship appearances and trained 17 All-Americans.

“We’re extremely grateful to Bill for all he’s done for both Arizona gymnastics and Arizona Athletics,” Arizona Director of Athletics Greg Byrne said in a press release. “He’s been a valuable member of our department for the last 25 years and a great representative of this institution. We wish Bill nothing but the best as he moves on to the next chapter of his life and thank him for his service to Arizona, the student-athletes he’s coached and the Wildcat family.”

According to the Arizona Athletics website, “a national search for Arizona’s new head gymnastics coach will begin immediately.”

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