Autumn Grable Promoted to UCLA Gymnastics Assistant Coach
July 01, 2023 | Gymnastics
"We are thrilled to announce Autumn's promotion from volunteer coach to full-time assistant," said McDonald. "She is an excellent technical coach who has helped our team find their competitive confidence, particularly on beam. In addition, over the past year, she provided amazing support to our student-athletes and to the culture of our team. I am excited for what's to come and grateful to have Autumn's impact in an elevated role moving forward."
In Grable's first season, she and her fellow Bruin assistant coaches BJ Das and Kyle Grable were named the WCGA West Region Assistant Coaches of the Year, and the UCLA coaching staff was selected the National Coaching Staff of the Year by College Gym News. The Bruin coaches led UCLA to its first NCAA Championships appearance since 2019, finishing third in the semifinals with the highest non-advancing score in NCAA history. UCLA placed fifth overall at the championships for its 28th all-time Top 5 finish.
Grable coached the balance beam squad to a No. 5 regular season ranking and a +0.205 improvement in NQS from the previous season. The beam team averaged 49.396 on the year and recorded the No. 4 beam score in UCLA history at the NCAA Regional Second Round with a 49.675. They also earned three other Top 8 marks in school history in 2023. Emma Malabuyo placed fourth on beam at the NCAA Championships to earn first-team All-America honors, and Selena Harris earned second-team All-America acclaim on beam. Every regular in the beam lineup averaged 9.825 or higher, led by Harris' 9.926 average.
Under the Bruin coaching staff, UCLA found a new level of consistency in 2023, hitting 332 of 336 routines for 9.5 or higher, for a hit rate of 98.81% that stands as the highest in the nation over the last 15 years. UCLA went 24-for-24 in 12 of 14 meets and improved their season average to 197.774, up 0.895 from a year ago, marking the greatest improvement by any Power 5 team in 2023. The Bruins scored 197 or higher in all but one meet and had three scores of 198 or higher, including a high of 198.275 at the NCAA Regional Second Round.
Prior to arriving at UCLA, Grable was the co-head coach for elite development for five years at Jaycie Phelps Athletic Center (JPAC) in Indianapolis. Under her guidance, JPAC was awarded J.O. Club of the Year honors nationally in 2019 and in Region 5 in 2021. Grable, who led the Level 6-10 balance beam and floor exercise squads, coached a Level 10 national all-around champion in 2019, three Level 10 uneven bars national champions, a 2021 Level 10 National beam champion, two Level 10 national all-around runners-up and qualified athletes to the Nastia Liukin Cup her last four years. Prior to coaching at JPAC, Grable was the beam and floor coach for all levels from compulsory through Level 10 at Gym-Nation from 2011-17, annually helping coach athletes to Level 9 Easterns and Level 10 Nationals, with many earning Top 5 finishes.
Players Mentioned
