Who is Olivia Dunne’s coach?

Last Modified Apr 7, 2024 22:54 IST
Who is Olivia Dunne’s coach?
Olivia Dunne Image Credit: @livvydunne (Instagram)

Olivia Dunne is presently a competitor for Louisiana State University's Division I women's gymnastics team, the LSU Tigers. She has previously competed for the United States national gymnastics team.

Dunne became well-known in 2020 after sharing her gymnastic skills on TikTok. She then started posting stuff about her experiences as a student-athlete.

As a result, businesses approached Olivia Dunne and made money off of her notoriety thanks to her TikTok fame and NCAA partnership. She rose to prominence in marketing. Dunne scored big contracts in everything from activewear to sportswear.

Unquestionably, Olivia Dunne introduced gymnastics, a specialized activity, to a new audience. She is now receiving support from fans who would not have watched or followed gymnastics otherwise.

Olivia Dunne had several injuries during the 2022–2023 season, including a torn bicep, a damaged labrum, and a stress reaction in her leg. On February 24, however, she rallied to post a 9.825 on the uneven bars versus Alabama.

Who is Olivia Dunne’s Coach?

Jay Clark was the head coach of the University of Georgia's women's gymnastics team in Athens, Georgia. After longtime coach Suzanne Yoculan retired following the 2009 season, Clark was elevated from assistant coach to head coach. On May 4, 2012, Clark announced his resignation from Georgia. He joined the LSU Lady Tigers on July 1, 2012, as head of recruiting and associate head coach for gymnastics.

The native place of Clark is Roswell, Georgia. He earned his diplomas in exercise science from the University of Georgia in 1991 as well as from Roswell High School in 1986. From 1990 to 1996, he served as an assistant coach for the Georgia Gym Dogs. From 1996 to 1998, he was the head coach and director of competition for the Athens-Clarke Gymnastics Academy. In 1998, he rejoined the squad as an assistant coach.

In 2004, he was promoted to associate head coach, and in 2009, after Suzanne Yoculan left the team after 25 years, he took over as head coach. Before starting his coaching career at Georgia, he worked for four years as a physical therapy technician at the Athens Sports Medicine Clinic throughout his time in college.

Clark was married to Julie Ballard, a former All-American Georgia gymnast and native of Mandeville, Louisiana, from 1994 to 1998. Their two children are Cole, the couple's son, and Kinsey, their daughter.

An outline of the coaching career of Jay Clark.

As the greatest bar coach in the history of collegiate gymnastics, Jay Clark is recognized as one of the best recruiters in the industry. For the past seven seasons, Clark has served as the Tigers' associate head coach. His leadership and knowledge have contributed to the team's extraordinary achievements in the weight room and on the recruiting trail.

With seven NCAA individual national champions, five SEC tournament and regular season titles, multiple school records, appearances in the NCAA Championship Finals six out of seven seasons, and the best performance in school history since Clark's arrival, LSU has achieved these accomplishments in the time since Clark took over.

His contributions to the LSU Fighting Tigers have not been forgotten. Together with fellow LSU assistant Bob Moore, Clark has won five times as the Central Region Co-Assistant Coach of the Year.

Along with Moore, Clark was also named the National Co-Assistant Coach of the Year in 2014 and 2017. In his illustrious coaching career, it was his third time winning the greatest honor in the country. In 2018, he was admitted into the Region 8 Hall of Fame of USA Gymnastics.

Clark is considered the greatest collegiate gymnastics coach in history in the gym. In addition to leading the Tigers to 30 All-America bar titles, Clark has also coached four of the five highest bar team scores in school history and the two greatest LSU bar champions ever.

Sarah Finnegan, one of the greatest gymnasts in LSU history, completed her career in April. Clark was her instructor. In 2017, Finnegan became the school's first-ever NCAA bar champion, and he repeated as champion in 2019.

Clark played for 20 seasons at the University of Georgia, where he was a key player in the Gym Dogs' seven NCAA national titles and 14 Southeastern Conference championships before joining LSU.

At Georgia, Clark was primarily a bar coach. He led the Gym Dogs, which included two-time winners Courtney Kupets and Kat Ding, to 64 All-America accolades and seven NCAA individual national titles in bars.

Under Clark's leadership, Georgia's Gym Dogs won three NCAA individual national titles, the 2012 NCAA Auburn Regional, and 23 All-America selections between 2009 and 2012. The Bulldog Cup, which honors the UGA team that performs academically, encourages their peers in athletics, and continuously serves the community, was won by his Georgia team in 2012.

Before taking over as head coach, Clark worked as Georgia's recruiting coordinator from 1999 to 2009, assistant coach from 1999 to 2004, and associate head coach from 2005 to 2009—the period during which Georgia won an NCAA record five consecutive national titles.

In addition, Clark was the creator, owner, and head coach of Classic City Gymnastics in Athens, Georgia, where he worked as a club coach for 13 years, from 1992 to 2005. Eight of the gymnasts he trained for Classic City went on to compete collegiately at the NCAA Division I level, and he guided several of them to state, regional, and national titles as well as the Junior Olympic National Team.

College Coaching Experience.

YearDesignation
1990 - 1996Assistant Coach, University of Georgia
1998 - 2004Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator, University of Georgia
2005 - 2009Associate Head Coach and Recruiting Coordinator, University of Georgia
2009 - 2012Head Coach, University of Georgia
2012 - 2019Associate Head Coach, LSU
2019 - Present Co-Head Coach, LSU

Images of Jay Clarke.

Who is Olivia Dunne’s coach?
Olivia Dunne Image Credit: @lsugym (Instagram)
Who is Olivia Dunne’s coach?
Olivia Dunne Image Credit: @jayclarklsu (Instagram)

FAQ on Who is Olivia Dunne’s coach?

  1. Clark was married to Julie Ballard, a former All-American Georgia gymnast and native of Mandeville, Louisiana, from 1994 to 1998.

  1. Clark is a native of Roswell, Georgia.

  1. Olivia Dunne plays for the LSU Tigers.

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