Justin Spring gets promotion

For a look back at Justin Spring, click here

CHAMPAIGN — Olympian Justin Spring  was promoted to associate head coach for Illinois men's gymnastics on Wednesday.

Spring, who will retire from competitive gymnastics, will  oversee the men's program previously run by Yoshi Hayasaki, who retired.

Spring was a four-time NCAA champion at Illinois, winning the Nissan-Emery award in 2006. At the Beijing Games, he helped the U.S. win a bronze medal.

UI women's coach Bob Starkell was named director of gymnastics. He will continue as women's coach and also oversee the administrative side of the men's program.

Ivan Ivankov will be an assistant men's coach.

"I am so excited to continue to work with such an outstanding program," Spring said. "Yoshi has kept Illinois as one of the dominant gymnastics programs in the country and I am ready to step up and maintain that level of excellence. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I couldn't be happier staying and contributing to the university that I have grown to love so much."

When Hayasaki announced his retirement, his job was to go to then-Illini assistant Jon Valdez. But Valdez resigned after being charged with unauthorized videotaping of another man without that man's consent in a locker room at Kenney Gym. In March, Valdez pleaded guilty to the charge and was sentenced to two years' probation.

 

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