John Figueroa Named Associate Head Gymnastics Coach
5/16/2007 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
May 16, 2007
COLUMBIA, Mo. - John "Fig" Figueroa has been hired as associate head coach of the Missouri gymnastics program, announced Head Coach Rob Drass on Wednesday. Figueroa comes to Mizzou from Denver, where he served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the past eight years.
"I am extremely excited to have Fig become a part of our staff at Mizzou," Drass said. "He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience and I am confident that he will help lead Mizzou to greater success in the future."
Figueroa joined the Denver coaching staff prior to the 2000 season and helped bring the Pioneer program to new heights during his eight years. In his second season with the program in 2001, Denver earned its first ever berth to the NCAA Championships and set new program records in team score and on bars and floor. Most recently, Denver qualified for its second NCAA Championships in 2007 and finished the season ranked 10th in the nation.
With Figueroa as the primary coach, the vault and uneven bars lineups saw improved success under his guidance. The bars lineup ranked 10th nationally in 2000 to earn the first year assistant coach Region 2 Assistant Coach of the Year honors. Additionally, the Pioneers finished the 2005 season as the 11th-ranked vault lineup in the country and in 2004, two Denver vaulters tied for the NCAA North Central Region vault title. Over his eight years with the Pioneers, Figueroa coached two All-Americans and five individual NCAA competitors.
Prior to his appointment at Denver, Figueroa was the owner, program director and head coach of Kentwood USA, a gymnastics club in Kentwood, Mich. While at Kentwood, he guided a USA National Team member and gymnasts to the 1994 all-around, vault and bars, 1998 beam and floor and 1999 all-around Level 10 national championships. Additionally, Figueroa coached internationally with the national team on several occasions and was named the USA Gymnastics Region 5 Coach of the Year in 1994 and 1999.
Figueroa and his wife Diane are the parents of Angela, who plays volleyball for Denver, and Johnny.
