Randy Monahan enters his sixth season as an assistant coach with the Penn State women[apos]s gymnastics program. Monahan currently aids in recruiting and training student-athletes along with various other aspects for the Nittany Lions.
During his first five seasons on campus, Monahan has seen the program advance to the NCAA Championships once (2009), he has coached one individual NCAA Regional champion and four gymnasts have earned All-America distinction on 14 occasions.
The 2012 and 2013 seasons watched as Musser earned a pair of All-America honors at each NCAA Championships and in 2011 the Nittany Lions posted a second place finish at the Big Ten Championships and narrowly missed making a return trip to the NCAA Championships with a third place showing at the NCAA Regionals.
In 2010, Personett and Sharaya Musser both had strong showings at the NCAA Championships, earning a combined seven All-American certificates. Personett earned the honors on the balance bean, floor exercise and in the all-around, while Musser was an All-American on the vault, balance beam, floor exercise and in the all-around.
Monahan was on staff in 2009 when the Nittany Lions advanced to the NCAA Championships for the first time since 2005 and finished ninth overall. The next year, Brandi Personett won the individual title on the vault and took the crown in the all-around at the NCAA Regional Championship to lead a trio of Lions that earned All-American honors.
Monahan was a member of the Ohio State men[apos]s gymnastics team from 2001-05 and was a seven-time All-American for the Buckeyes. A two-time Big Ten Gymnast of the Year, Monahan captured the Big Ten All-Around title in 2003 and 2004 to earn the distinction. A Nissen-Emery Award Finalist in 2005, Monahan finished second in the all-around at the NCAA Championships. During his career, he helped Ohio State capture a pair of Big Ten titles, doing so in 2002 and 2005.
Prior to Penn State, Monahan was a coach at Buckeye Gymnastics where he worked with a wide variety of athletes from levels 4-10. He also served as a volunteer assistant coach with the Ohio State men[apos]s team where he assisted in instructional and managerial capacities, as well as having training and competitive responsibilities.
A graduate of Ohio State University, Monahan earned his Bachelor of Science degree in human ecology in 2006.
Monahan resides in State College with his wife, the former Jillian Stranges. The couple welcomed their first child, Brady, in May, 2013.
Thompson on Monahan [quote]Randy is one of the finest assistant coaches in NCAA Gymnastics,[quote] said head coach Jeff Thompson. [quote]His competitive experience combined with his technical knowledge enables him to put his coaching into terms that every one of our gymnasts can understand and use. He not only can tell them `why[apos] it will work, he can tell them how it will `feel[apos] to do it that way. His years of experience as a competitor have also helped him develop our strength and conditioning program. We use nothing but our own body weight to develop the strength, flexibility and endurance that we require in a way that makes sense to everyone on the team. He is also a great recruiter and has been instrumental in helping us land several top gymnasts over the past two seasons.[quote]