LOGAN, Utah – Utah State head gymnastics coach Amy Smith announced the addition of Stephen Hood to her staff on Wednesday.
 
Hood will be the primary coach on vault and co-coach on bars, along with associate head coach Erik Lewis, who is entering his fourth season overall at Utah State. Lewis will continue to assist Smith on floor this season.
 
"Erik and I are beyond excited to announce the addition of Stephen Hood to our coaching staff," Smith said. "Stephen is one of the top up-and-coming coaches in the NCAA right now and we are thrilled that he wants to be an Aggie and help us continue with the success that the program has recently had.
 
"Stephen's passion and enthusiasm through the interview process was apparent. His endless curiosity and love for the sport of gymnastics was infectious. He is going to fit right in with the staff and team. We are excited to get him on campus and get rolling."
 
Hood arrives in Logan after spending the previous four seasons as an assistant coach at Texas Woman's University in Denton, Texas.
 
"I am thrilled to join the Utah State gymnastics staff and am looking forward to joining the Aggie Family," Hood said. "It is exciting to be a part of a program with great momentum and I expect us to take USU gymnastics to places it hasn't been. I have big ambitions and expectations of this team and look forward to working with these incredible young women.
 
"Our coaching staff is extremely well-rounded and I couldn't be more excited to work with Amy and Erik on a daily basis. The future of our team is bright and it is such an exciting time to be an Aggie."
 
During his time at TWU, Hood served as both the vault and bars coach, recruiting coordinator, academic coordinator, camp director, spotter and was in charge of the daily practice schedule. In 2020-21, the Pioneers were the academic national champions with a team GPA of 3.8881.
 
In his first year at TWU, Hood helped lead the Pioneers to the 2018 USA Gymnastics (USAG) Collegiate National Championship, as well as a national title on vault. Texas Woman's was also the 2021 USAG collegiate national vault champion.

Hood joined the Pioneers from the University of Central Florida, where he was a member of the two-time world champion cheer team. The four-year letterman also led the squad to a European Open Championship and a national champion runner-up finish on three occasions.

The native of Navarre, Florida, served as the women's team coach and women's recreational program director at Gulf Coast Gymnastics, where he trained and mentored new staff, held various coaching positions at multiple levels, oversaw the developmental program, led various recreational programs, and kept up with facility maintenance and improvements.
 
Fans can follow the Aggie gymnastics program at twitter.com/USUGymnastics, on Facebook at Utah State Gymnastics, and on Instagram at USUGymnastics. Fans can also follow the USU athletic program at twitter.com/USUAthletics or on Facebook at UtahStateAthletics.
 
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