STANFORD, Calif. - Vince Smurro has been named an assistant coach for the Stanford women's gymnastics program, as announced on Wednesday by head coach Tabitha Yim.
Smurro joins the Cardinal staff after serving as the assistant coach at Iowa since 2017, helping guide the Hawkeyes to four NCAA Regional appearances while being primarily responsible for the uneven bars. During his five-year tenure at Iowa, Smurro coached four All-Americans and 10 All-Big Ten honorees, including four first-team selections.
"We are thrilled to welcome Vince to The Farm and are excited for him to join the Stanford family," said Yim, who will enter her fifth season as head coach in 2021-22. "Vince has a strong appreciation and understanding for what it takes to be successful at the college level and will bring a tremendous amount of positive energy and experience into the gym. Vince's passion for the student-athlete experience, coupled with his technical knowledge across the events, will be a great addition to our coaching staff."
"I am extremely excited to be joining the Stanford women's gymnastics family," said Smurro. "After meeting with the staff and team, I knew this would be a great fit and a smooth transition. I would like to thank Tabitha Yim and Stanford for this incredible opportunity. Stanford has a rich history both athletically and academically, and I look forward to contributing to and upholding that legacy. I also want to thank Larissa Libby for her mentorship over the past five seasons at Iowa. We have shared countless memories, and she has helped me grow both as a coach and person."
The Hawkeyes are coming off an impressive 2021 campaign, capturing their first Big Ten regular-season championship and second-highest NCAA Regional score in school history on the way to a No. 17 national finish.
From 2015-17, Smurro spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Central Michigan, guiding the Chippewas to a 19th-place finish in the final 2015 NCAA rankings, assisting and spotting athletes on vault, bars and floor, along with MAC regular-season and tournament titles. Smurro also served as the Chippewas' recruiting organizer and social media manager.
Prior to his stop at Central Michigan, Smurro served as the USAG Women's Coach at Devlin Gymnastics in his hometown of Manasquan, New Jersey.
Smurro boasts an impressive collegiate resume, as he was named a USAG All-American on the high bar in 2010 and the parallel bars in 2011 while at William & Mary. Smurro transferred to Illinois in 2011, helping the Illini to NCAA and Big Ten team titles in 2012. As a senior in 2013, Smurro finished 10th at the NCAA Championships on floor, recording the third-highest score in school history. Smurro also helped Illinois to a sixth-place finish in the team competition.
A two-time College Gymnastics Association First Team Academic All-American, Smurro earned his bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary health at Illinois in 2013. He received his master's degree in sports administration from Central Michigan in May 2016.