DENVER – University of Denver women's gymnastics assistant coach Jay Hogue has announced his retirement after four combined seasons with the program.
 
"I want to thank the DU community and Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart, in particular, for the opportunity and welcoming me back to the University of Denver," Hogue said. "It has been a terrific experience over the last two years, and hopefully I've had a positive impact on the student-athletes and all the others I have come into contact in the last 24 months.
 
"I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at DU and being a part of one of the top athletics departments in the country."
 
Hogue will finish his career as a WCGA National Assistant Coach of the Year, presented to him and associate head coach Linas Gaveika following Denver's record-breaking 2019 campaign. Both Hogue and Gaveika also won Region 2 Assistant Coach of the Year honors for the second year in a row.
 
He helped coach two NCAA national champions including Denver's Lynnzee Brown on floor in 2019. In total, his gymnasts won a combined 23 All-American nods across the events he coached.
 
Hogue was instrumental in Denver's historic 2019 season that saw the Pioneers advance to the NCAA National Championships for just the fifth time in program history. Denver made its first ever appearance in the NCAA Team Final and finished fourth overall. DU also captured the program's first regional championship at the Corvallis Regional.
 
"I want congratulate Jay on an outstanding career," head coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart said. "I am so thankful for him returning to Denver and for the passion and dedication he brought to the team. We would not have had as successful of a season this year without him."
 
"We wish him the greatest of luck in his future pursuits and want to extend our thanks to his wife Lisa and their sons Pierce and Colin. They will be forever be members of the DU Gymnastics family."
 
Over the last two seasons, Hogue was DU's lead coach on vault and floor, securing top 10 finishes on both events in 2019 and on vault in 2018. With his help, two DU gymnasts combined for six scores of at least 9.975s on his events including Brown's perfect 10.0 on floor in 2019.
 
He first joined Denver's coaching staff for the 2011 and 2012 seasons as the team's primary vault and bars coach before rejoining the team for the 2018 and 2019 seasons. From 2013-17, he was an assistant coach at the University of Georgia.
 
In total, Hogue earned regional assistant coaching awards four times, three times with Denver.
 
Prior to making his collegiate coaching debut for Denver in 2011, he spent more than 20 years coaching all four events at the club level. He coached U.S. National Team members Melanie Sinclair and Shayla Worley while at Orlando Metro Gymnastics, and he helped revamp Broadway Gymnastics in 2007.
 
He graduated from the University of Central Florida with a bachelor's degree in liberal studies with an emphasis in engineering and physics in 1997. In 1993, he earned an associate's degree in arts from Valencia Community College.
 
A national search for Denver's next assistant coach will begin immediately.

2020 Season Tickets
Season tickets for the 2020 DU Gymnastics season are now on sale, beginning at $35. Fans who had season tickets for the 2019 season can renew their tickets by calling 303-871-4625. New season tickets can be purchased online or by calling 303-871-4625.
 
One Day 4 DU
On May 22, the Pioneers will celebrate the fifth-annual One Day 4 DU, the single largest day of giving on campus. Fans are encouraged to support DU Athletics & Recreation and can learn more online. Donations can also be made by texting 1DAY4DU to 41444 on May 22.
 
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