Suzanne Yoculan: The Heart And Soul of the Georgia Gym Dogs

It has come to my attention that I may not be giving gymnastics enough of my time. I am so very caught up in the sports I love, mainly college football, that I seemed to be overlooking the one sport that my alma mater has excelled at for years.

The Gym Dogs, as they are affectionately called, have won 9 National Championships,16 SEC titles, 38 individual NCAA titles and boasts 68 All-Americans in their 25-years as NCAA competitors. The master behind this great feat is Suzanne Yoculan, who took over the reigns from Rick Walton in 1983.

She retires after this season and no one will be sadder to see her go than the legions of women’s gymnastic fans who have followed her over the years.

You see, here in Athens, football rules. The Georgia Bulldogs, win or lose, dominate the headlines. So it is very easy for the accomplishments of Suzanne Yoculan and her Gym Dogs to be swept aside. But it should be front page if you ask me because what Suzanne has done is nothing short of historical; amassing a record of 804 wins during her career.

Her winning percentage stands at an astonishing .867! To be plain, she’s the Bear Bryant, Pat Summit, and John Wooden of her sport.

Most recently, the Gym Dogs won their fourth consecutive National Championship. An accomplishment that only they can lay a claim on; and even though they didn't necessarily, dominate in these wins-the runner-up team was always within a point of them in the final tally, it doesn't dampen what they have been able to accomplish.

It speaks to the mental toughness that Yoculan has instilled in her team and it’s individual players that they have always found a way to come out on top.

Suzanne Yoculan has been named NCAA Coach of the Year five times and SEC Coach of the Year seven times. She has had multiple undefeated seasons and her teams have finished in the Top 3 in 19 out of the last 21 years.

She always make the NCAA Gymnastics Competition and has been in the “Super Six” (final six NCAA teams) every year since 1993. That in particular tells me that she is always in the mix for a championship.

Even more than what she has done as a coach, it is what she has done for the University of Georgia. In 1983, the attendance at meets hovered around 200 per, but it has since reached attendance numbers of 10,000+.

Further, interest in the team has prompted more televised meets on major networks like ESPN and Fox Sports South. More exposure has led to Yoculan being able to attract top notch gymnasts who are able to further the excellency of her program.

Yoculan is also the mastermind behind the “Ten-O” program, which is in effect a booster club. It is the nations largest with over 800 active members.

In 1996 she established a, first of its kind, renewable season ticket program for a women’s collegiate sport. As a result, more than 5,000 season tickets are now sold each year.

The University of Georgia may be known for football, but it needs to tip its hat to Suzanne’s accomplishments as they may never be duplicated and as Yoculan exits stage left at the end of this season, it will be the end of an era for the Gym Dogs. 

Her successor will have some big shoes to fill. Let’s hope he can get the job done.