On Friday, Georgia gymnastics announced it will be parting ways with head coach Courtney Kupets Carter. She spent seven seasons at the helm of the program.
“We want to thank Courtney for her leadership of our gymnastics program over the past seven seasons,” Georgia athletics director Josh Brooks said. “These are always difficult decisions, but this one was especially tough because of what Courtney and her family mean to the University of Georgia.
“She is among the greatest Bulldog student-athletes of all time, and her many accomplishments and accolades will be remembered for years to come. At this time, we feel it is in the best interest of our gymnastics program to make a change in leadership as we pursue SEC and national championships.”
The decision to fire Kupets Carter comes after Georgia failed to qualify for the NCAA Championships meet, narrowly finishing in third in the second round in Gainesville and missing out on the regional final.
Georgia posted a 1-6 record in SEC dual meets for the third season in a row despite bringing in the nation’s No. 1 ranked recruiting class. The team was ranked No. 20 nationally heading into the regionals. Last month, Georgia finished in last place of eight programs at the SEC Championships for the third year straight.
Under Kupets Carter, seven GymDogs earned 22 All-America honors and 14 were named to the All-Southeastern Conference team. Georgia never captured a conference or national championship under Kuppets Carter. Georgia gymnastics will begin the search for its next head coach immediately.
Courtney Kupets Carter’s collegiate accolades
Before coaching at Georgia, Kupets Carter was a standout athlete at the university. She joined Georgia gymnastics in 2005, earning SEC Freshman of the Year honors. Kupets Carter was key in UGA’s first-place finish at the 2006 NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championships, winning the all-around, bars, and beam titles at the event.
Kupets Carter never slowed down. She was first gymnast to win individual championships on all four events and the all-around title, while winning nine NCAA individual titles and earning a jaw-dropping 15 All-America distinctions. In total, Georgia captured four team national titles during her time as an athlete.
Kupets Carter’s success wasn’t limited to the collegiate level. She also was a standout at the 2004 Olympics, helping the U.S. women gymanstics team to win a silver medal. Unfortunately, Kupets Carter could never find the same level of success as a coach.
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