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Instructors in our program will primarily consist of UW-La Crosse gymnasts who have been involved with the sport of gymnastics for 12 or more years.
KASEY CRAWFORD
Head Coach
Kasey Crawford starts her seventh season as the UW-La Crosse head gymnastics coach in 2022-23.
UWL won the 2018 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Championship under Crawford, the Eagles' league-record 24th conference title in school history. UWL placed second at the 2017 WIAC Championships under Crawford, third in 2020 and 2022 and fourth in 2019. The 2021 league meet was canceled due to the COVID-19 public health threat.
The team has earned 34 All-WIAC awards in Crawford's four seasons as head coach.
UWL placed second at the 2017 and 2018 National Collegiate Gymnastics Association (NCGA) Championships, its 24th and 25th top-two finish in 35 national championships. The Eagles finished third at the 2022 national meet. UWL qualified for the 2020 NCGA Championships, but the meet was canceled due to the COVID-19 public health threat. The meet was also canceled in 2021.
The Eagles have won an NCGA record 17 (1986, 1988, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2015, and 2016) titles. UWL has earned 19 NCGA All-America honors in Crawford's six seasons, including four national champions. Kari Willett captured the 2016 NCGA title on the balance beam while Dani Barmore won the 2017 vault crown and Sam Weyker the balance beam. UWL's Samantha Wiekamp was named the 2017-18 NCGA Senior Athlete of the Year. Kerrie Legault captured the national crown on the uneven parallel bars in 2021-22.
Prior to being named interim head coach after Barbara Gibson announced her retirement July 25, 2016, Crawford served as an assistant coach at UWL for eight years. She earned the 2015-16 NCGA West Region Assistant Coach of the Year award after helping lead UWL to its second straight national title. Crawford was named the 2011-12 and 2012-13 NCGA North Central Region Assistant Coach of the Year as UWL placed third at the 2012 NCGA Championships and second in 2013.
Crawford was a four-year letter winner and two-year team captain at UWL, competing from 2004-08. A member of three NCGA Championship teams (2005, 2006, 2008), Crawford earned five career NCGA All-America honors. She earned All-America accolades in the all-around (2005), uneven parallel bars (2005 and 2008); vault (2005) and balance beam (2008).
Named the 2007-08 WIAC Scholar-Athlete, Crawford earned three career all-conference honors. She placed fourth on the vault at the 2005 WIAC Championship while finishing fifth on the uneven parallel bars in 2007 and sixth in 2008. She was a two-time WIAC Athlete of the Week selection. Crawford was named to the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll all four years and was a 2007-08 College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District Second Team selection.
In the last 14 years, UWL has won five NCGA championships and four WIAC crowns. UWL gymnasts have earned a total of 88 NCGA All-America honors in the last 13 seasons.
Crawford, a certified USAG (USA Gymnastics) Level 10 judge, completed four years as an assistant sports performance coach in UWL's Sports Performance Center. She was also an instructor in UWL's Exercise Sport Science Department.
She and her husband, Mike, have two children, Kinsley and Keaton.
JENN
A MATZ
Assistant Coach
Jenna Matz (Swails) begins her 11th season as an assistant coach at UW-La Crosse in 2022-23, primarily coaching uneven parallel bars. A four-year letterwinner for the Eagles and one-year captain, Matz earned three National Collegiate Gymnastics Association (NCGA) All-America honors. She tied for fifth on the vault and ninth on floor in 2011, and tied for third on the floor exercise in 2012.
UWL placed third at the 2020 and 2022 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Championships, earning 10 all-league honors in 2020 and seven in 2022. The Eagles have won three (2014, 2016, 2018) WIAC Championships in Matz' 10 years as an assistant coach while placing second on three occasions (2013, 2015, 2017).
UWL has won two (2015, 2016) NCGA Championships and finished second three times (2013, 2017, 2018). The Eagles were third at the 2022 national meet. UWL qualified for the 2020 NCGA Championships, but the meet was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic threat. The championships were also canceled in 2021.
At the WIAC Championships, Matz earned four career honors. She was second on the floor exercise and tied for second on the vault in 2011 and placed second on the vault and tied for second on the floor exercise in 2012. Matz was also an academic All-America selection, and a member of UWL's national championship teams in 2009, 2010, and 2011.
Matz earned her bachelor’s degree in marketing and graphic design from UWL, and her master's degree in information communication technology from UW-Stout. She currently works for Agropur in the marketing department.
She and her husband, Andy, reside in Onalaska and have two daughters, Brennley and Kalina.
ALLY BRUGLER
Assistant Coach
Ally Brugler is serving as a student manager for UW-La Crosse in 2021-22. A native of Shoreview, Minnesota, Brugler earned two letters for the Eagles' gymnastics team. She was named to the 2019-20 All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Sportsmanship Team.
Brugler had a season-high 7.800 on the balance beam vs. UW-Oshkosh during the 2019-20 season. She recorded a career-high 9.450 on the balance beam against UW-Eau Claire in 2018-19.
She earned the 2019-20 Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association (WCGA) Scholastic All-America Award.
LEXIE WILLS
Assistant Coach