LOGAN, Utah – First-year Utah State head gymnastics coach Kristin White announced Thursday the addition of Rachel Slocum to her staff as an assistant coach.
 
Slocum will be the primary coach on vault. She will also assist White on floor.
 
"I am honored to have Rachel join my staff at Utah State," White said. "Her driven, charismatic and love-for-life personality is the perfect combination for our team. I have had the pleasure of working with her the past two seasons at Arizona State and she is one of the brightest up-and-coming coaches in the industry.
 
"She is hungry for success and will always put the student-athlete experience at the forefront of her career. Rachel's experiences as a student-athlete at Eastern Michigan and the University of Florida have helped shape her into the coach she is today. She will help create and foster a competitive and fun culture that our athletes are going to thrive in. Welcome to the Aggie Family Rachel!"
 
Slocum arrives in Logan after spending the previous two seasons as a volunteer assistant coach at Arizona State, where she worked with White, who was an assistant coach with the Sun Devils before becoming just the fifth head coach in Utah State history.
 
"I am beyond excited to be a part of Aggie Nation," Slocum said. "As I step into the role of assistant coach, I am grateful to coach White for believing in my abilities and trusting me to stand beside her to build on all the greatness that is already a part of this team. Beginning my coaching career with a team that won its conference championship last year is a pretty amazing place to start. 
 
"I am thrilled to be working with the esteemed USU staff and am looking forward to developing genuine relationships with the staff and athletes. Being a part of gymnastics as a student-athlete and now coach continues to be such a privilege. I am excited for what is to come."
 
Slocum helped the Sun Devils finish ranked No. 22 in the nation and qualify for the 2022 NCAA Regional Championships in Norman, Oklahoma. The team scored a 196-plus in all but one meet, including three 197s. Arizona State recorded five conference wins to tie for the Pac-12 regular-season title – the first in program history. It was also the most conference wins in a single season in 2001.
 
In her first season at ASU, Slocum helped guide the Sun Devils to their most successful season in 15 years in 2021, wrapping up the year ranked No. 9 on Road to Nationals, the best finish since 2006. The team ended the season with an National Qualifying Score of 197.088.
 
Slocum was a four-time All-American at Florida, competing from 2017-18 and graduating cum laude with a degree in health education and behavior.
 
While with the Gators, Slocum primarily competed on vault and floor, earning All-America second-team honors on vault at both the 2017 and 2018 NCAA Championships. On vault, she also earned NACGC All-America first-team regular-season recognition in 2017 and made the second team in 2018.
 
In both of her seasons at Florida, Slocum was an all-SEC gymnast, and in 2018 she also made the SEC Community Service Team. She won NCAA regional titles on floor (shared) and vault in 2018, as well as a share of the vault title in 2017.
 
"The Aggies are so fortunate to be gaining such an incredible coach, leader and mentor," said Florida head coach Jenny Rowland, who guided the Gators to a runner-up finish at the 2022 NCAA Championships. "Rachel Slocum will no doubt make an immediate impact not only in the program, but in the daily lives of each and every student-athlete. One will always be reminded what pure joy is when being around Rachel. Wishing her and the Aggies all the best."
 
Prior to Florida, Slocum spent the 2015 and 2016 seasons at Eastern Michigan, earning MAC Specialist of the Year honors as a sophomore. That season, she made the all-MAC and all-Tournament teams, and qualified for the NCAA Championships as an individual on floor after earning the regional title, the second Eagle in program history to do so.
 
The native of Holly Springs, North Carolina, also shined in the classroom as she made the 2018 SEC Academic Honor Roll, the 2017 SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll and was an NACGC Scholastic Academic All-American in 2015 and 2018. At Eastern Michigan, she earned academic All-MAC and Distinguished Scholar Student-Athlete honors, as well as earning two MAC Scholar-Athlete of the Week nods.
 
For more information on the Utah State gymnastics program, follow the Aggies on Twitter at @USUGymnastics, on Facebook at UtahStateGymnastics and on Instagram at USUGymnastics.
 
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