UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State Women's Gymnastics program, led by Head Coach Sarah Brown, added Rachel Inniss as an assistant coach on Monday. Innis arrives in Happy Valley after spending the last two seasons on the Temple coaching staff.
"We are thrilled to add Rachel to the staff," said Brown. "Her experience on the collegiate level, as well as her strong dance background, will help to take our program to a new level! It was clear from the first time we spoke that Rachel's philosophy, values and goals aligned perfectly with what Dallas [Becerra] and I are striving for each year. I'm so excited to welcome Rachel to Happy Valley and I can't wait for her to get started with our team!"
As an assistant coach for the Owls, Inniss helped Temple to consecutive ECAC championships. The Owls finished the 2020 season with the conference's highest National Qualifying Score (NQS).
"I'm honored to be given this opportunity," said Innis. "I really enjoyed the first conversation I had with Sarah. It was clear we were on the same page with what we want to accomplish and how we want to accomplish it. I have received a warm welcome from the Penn State family and I'm excited to get started."
Inniss led Temple's beam and floor teams, helping the floor team to lead the conference. The beam squad ranked second in the ECAC. The Owls earned the program's second-highest beam score and fifth-highest floor score in 2020, helping Temple to post three of the top six overall scores in program history.
The Owls placed three athletes among the Top 10 beam performers in the ECAC, including Delaney Garin's conference-leading 9.815 NQS. Temple also had three of the Top 10 floor athletes in the ECAC. Ariana Castrence paced the conference with a 9.825 NQS.
In 2019, Inniss earned ECAC Assistant Coach of the Year honors after guiding the Owls to their first ever ECAC title. Temple led the conference with a 194.865 overall NQS and a 48.990 NQS on floor. India Anderson claimed the ECAC's top floor NQS, 9.870, while Monica Servidio led the conference on beam with a 9.850 NQS.
Inniss graduated from Auburn in 2012, with a degree in public administration. She won an NCAA Regional Floor title and qualified for the NCAA Championships in 2010.
She served as a student coach during her fifth year at Auburn and returned as a volunteer coach in 2017 and 2018. As a volunteer coach, she worked with beam and floor, directing the choreography for both. She coached two floor All-Americans and three All-SEC gymnasts.
Inniss returned to coaching after being a professional dancer at Walt Disney World for four years at Beauty and the Beast Live.
The Nittany Lions ended the 2020 season ranked 30th in the RoadToNationals standings. Penn State earned eight dual-meet wins, including four victories over ranked opponents. The Nittany Lions notched five scores above a 196.000, its most since 2015. The Nittany Lions averaged a 196.230 in five home meets, its highest at Rec Hall since 2015.
Follow along with the team on our social media pages on Facebook (PennStateWomensGymnastics) and Twitter/Instagram (@pennstatewgym).
