Larissa Libby

Position: Head Coach Experience: 8th year Alma Mater, Year: Louisiana State, 1996

Entering her eighth year as head coach for the Hawkeyes, Larissa Libby will have her eyes set on a fifth consecutive NCAA postseason appearance, the sixth in her tenure.

The Hawkeyes raised the streak to four in 2011 with a fifth place finish at the NCAA Corvallis Regional. This coming after a sixth place finish at the Big Ten Championships and overall season record of 11-6. Libby coached three all-Big Ten selections in Rebecca Simbhudas, Houry Gebeshian and Jessa Hansen. Simbhudas and Gebeshian also made individual appearances at the NCAA Championships as Simbhudas was named North Central Region Gymnast of the Year.

Libby led Iowa to a third place finish at the 2010 Big Ten Championships, its best finish in six years. On top of another NCAA Regional berth, Libby also coached Houry Gebeshian to a Big Ten title on beam, just the second in program history. Additionally, Rebecca Simbhudas qualified as an individual for the NCAA Championships and earned all-American honors on beam.

In 2009, Libby led her squad to a 10-5 record and was named North Central Region Coach of the Year. Under her guidance, the GymHawks returned to their second consecutive NCAA Regional appearance and produced two first team All-Big Ten gymnasts in Jenifer Simbhudas and Houry Gebeshian. Additionally, Simbhudas was named Big Ten Gymnast of the Week twice in 2009.

In 2008, Libby Coached the Hawkeyes to their first NCAA appearance since 2005 and a fifth place finish in the Big Ten Conference. In addition to the multiple team and staff honors, Libby also saw several GymHawks achieve standout seasons during the 2008 season. Jenifer Simbhudas was named first team All Big-Ten and Big Ten Gymnast of the Week twice.. The accomplishments came off of the competitive floor as well with five Gymhawks receiving academic all-Big Ten selections and seven being named academic all-Americans.

In 2007, Libby led the Hawkeyes to many individual records. Katie Burke earned career-highs on vault, bars, floor, and in the all-around, ending a highly successful season with an NCAA Championship appearance. Kara Pinjuv, Jenifer Simbhudas, and Katie Turcotte all qualified to NCAA Regional competition. In addition to their NCAA success, Burke earned first team all Big-Ten honors while Pinjuv, Turcotte, and Simbhudas all earned second team honors in 2007 under Libby. Prior to the 2007 season, Libby played a role in the Hawkeyes' five consecutive seasons of Regional competition (2000-2005) and coached seniors Liz Grajewski and Kortny Williamson, as well as junior Danielle Legeai to individual regional competition in 2006.

As the Hawkeyes' choreographer and beam coach, Libby has made a lasting impact. The top 10 school records on beam have all been under her guidance, including the school record, 49.425, accomplished in 2004 at Illinois State. In 2004, the GymHawks recorded a 49.0 or higher seven times on beam.

Before becoming head coach, Libby served as associate head coach for one season and assistant coach for the previous three seasons.

Before joining the Hawkeyes, Libby served four years as the assistant women's coach at Louisiana State University. While at LSU, she produced nine beam all-Americans, the top-ranked beam team in 1999 and helped coach LSU to four consecutive NCAA championship team appearances.

As a competitive gymnast in her home country of Canada, Libby burst onto the scene at age 11 quickly becoming a junior national champion and a senior national champion shortly after. A member of the 1987 and 1989 Canadian world championship teams, Libby led the Canadian team to is best-ever sixth-place finish, placing 18th in the world in the all-around and becoming Canada's first ever world vault finalist. Along with world recognition, Libby was also a member of the Canadian Olympic team in 1988. She has earned over 30 international individual and event medals and was honored as the Canadian Gymnast of the Year in 1989 and 1990. In 2006, Libby was honored for her many national and international accomplishments. The Whitby Sports Council, the hometown where Libby began her outstanding career, selected Libby to be inducted into the Whitby Sports Hall of Fame, an honor bestowed on some of Canada's greatest athletes.

Originally from Pickering, Canada, Libby was a collegiate gymnast at Louisiana State University. She was a four-year team captain and the Central Region bar champion in 1995. Libby graduated from LSU in 1996, with a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology and a minor in French. Her husband, Chad, is the program director of athletic training at Coe College. The couple has two daughters, Taylor 14, and Bailey 7.