Aug. 16, 2000

Columbia, Mo. - University of Missouri Head Women's Gymnastics Coach Rob Drass announced the hiring of Kira Atkinson as assistant coach of the Tigers on Tuesday. The hiring completes the gymnastics staff and has them set for the 2001 season. "We have a very capable staff and team in place that we think can take Missouri Gymnastics to new heights," Drass said. Drass just completed his first year at Mizzou, and led the Tigers to NCAA Regional Competition for the first time since 1994.

The addition of Atkinson follows the June 14 hiring of three-time national champion and assistant coach Marshall Nelson. Atkinson's responsibilities will include developing choreography for the floor exercise while also working with the Tigers on the balance beam. "Kira brings the total package to our program," Drass said. "She is definitely a team player and we are excited to have her come aboard."

Atkinson is a 1996 graduate of the University of Illinois-Chicago where she graduated with a degree in communications. While at UIC, Atkinson was a member of back-to-back Midwest Collegiate Conference championship teams while excelling in the floor exercise, beam, and vault events. In 1995, she was selected to the NCAA Region 3 all-region team while also beginning her two year run as a member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee. In 1996, the Flames were invited to the National Invitational Tournament where they placed fourth.

"This program is headed in a great direction and the vision of the athletic department as a whole is exciting," Atkinson said. "I was on a very team-oriented, cohesive unit at UIC and I hope to stress that ideal in my coaching at Missouri."

A native of the Chicago, Ill. area, Atkinson has been an assistant coach at the club level at "Gym Kinetics" since 1996 and for the past two years was an account executive at DiMeo & Co., a sports advertising firm that handles the likes of the Chicago Bulls.