DENVER – The University of Denver gymnastics team has added John Carney as an assistant coach, Joy S. Burns Head Women's Gymnastics Coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart announced on Monday.
 
"I am beyond excited to welcome John to the Denver Gymnastics family," Kutcher-Rinehart said. "He will be a perfect fit for our program and will complement our coaching staff with a wealth of knowledge, leadership and a championship-caliber mindset. He is hardworking and passionate with years of high-level coaching experience, and he's had incredible success everywhere he's been. He has a passion for and a commitment to excellence, and an ability to elevate those around him. He's a kind, caring and genuine person who shares our philosophy of teamwork, character and excellence; and we're looking forward to adding his insight and dedication to our program."
 
Carney comes to Denver with more than three decades of coaching experience including nearly 20 years in Division I gymnastics. He has spent the last three seasons at California, earning WCGA National Assistant Coach of the Year honors in 2023 after what was, at the time, the best season in program history. Cal followed it up with an even more record-setting campaign in 2024, finishing as the NCAA runner-up and earning Carney the second WCGA West Region Assistant Coach of the Year award of his career.
 
Prior to his time at Cal, Carney was an assistant coach at Missouri for nine years and at Oregon State for five more before that. He started his collegiate coaching career at Seattle Pacific and also spent time coaching at the club level in Washington state beginning in 1993.
 
While coaching at Cal, Missouri and Oregon State, a combined 21 gymnasts on those rosters won 84 All-American honors – including 26 on events on which he was the lead coach.
 
"I'm incredibly grateful, humbled and honored to join the University of Denver gymnastics coaching staff," Carney said. "This program consistently competes for the NCAA Championships and has established a tradition of excellence. I'm excited to work alongside a dedicated, knowledgeable staff and a team of highly motivated student-athletes as we continue to pursue greatness both in the gym and in the classroom."
 
Carney graduated with a bachelor's degree in new media communications from Oregon State in 2011 and completed his master's degree in educational and counseling psychology at Missouri in 2016.
 
Carney joins Megan Haught and Mary Rice in completing the Denver coaching staff as DU prepares for the 2025-26 season.
 
The University of Denver gymnastics team finished the 2025 season ranked No. 13 nationally and reached its sixth consecutive NCAA Regional Final after tying with No. 4 Utah for first place and upsetting then-No. 13 Stanford in the NCAA Second Round. Denver was just three tenths from a team berth to the NCAA National Championships, placing behind only eventual NCAA runner-up UCLA and NCAA finalist Utah.
 
TICKETS:
Season ticket renewals and deposits for the 2026 University of Denver gymnastics season are now on sale and can be purchased online, by calling 303-871-4625 or by visiting the Ritchie Center Box Office.