Chellsie Memmel, Alicia Sacramone, Dan Baker to lead U.S. women's gymnastics program

2008 Olympic silver medal-winning gymnastics teammates Chellsie Memmel and Alicia Sacramone Quinn are teaming up again.

The duo, along with coach Dan Baker, will lead the U.S. women's gymnastics elite program in a restructuring of what was previously known as the high-performance director or national team coordinator role, according to a press release from USA Gymnastics. The position was left empty after Tom Forster stepped down at the end of 2021.

Memmel will be the technical lead, Sacramone Quinn the strategy lead, and Baker the developmental lead, similar to the elite development coordinator role he has held since the fall of 2018.

“While in the past USA Gymnastics employed a model that put a single person at the head of the program in a role that was coach, manager, strategist, and leader, it became clear to us that such a model is not realistic or effective in the current environment,” wrote USA Gymnastics’ chief program officer Stefanie Korepin in an email to the U.S. women’s elite community when the restructuring was announced in March.

First originated in late 1999, the role – then known as national team coordinator – had previously been a single individual from its inception. Bela Karolyi (1999-2000), Martha Karolyi (2001-2016), Valeri Liukin (2017-18) and Forster (2018-21) have previously held the position.

An alternate to the 2004 Olympic team, Memmel won the 2005 world all-around title, the first American to take the crown since 1994. She competed on the uneven bars at the 2008 Olympic Games where the U.S. won a silver medal. She continued in the sport until 2012 where she retired until a return to competition last summer that saw her qualify to the U.S. championships.

Memmel has been a brevet rated judge since 2013 and has coached for nearly a decade at M&M Gymnastics.

“I am excited to be part of the team of coaches and athletes moving our program forward,” Memmel said. “Having the chance to give back and help create the best environment possible for success is a great opportunity. I look forward to helping to develop and execute a plan that will enable athletes to feel and perform at their best.”

Sacramone Quinn also made her first international splash at the 2005 worlds, winning floor gold and vault bronze. Over the course of her career, Sacramone Quinn won 10 medals at the worlds. In Beijing 2008, she competed on vault, beam and floor exercise in the women's team final.

Since retiring, Sacramone Quinn has stayed close to the sport, working as a USA Gymnastics Talent Opportunity Program staff member from 2013-14 and four years of coaching at TAG USA Gymnastics & Trampoline.

“It is an honor and a privilege to be joining the high performance team,” Quinn said. “I look forward to building personal relationships with all of our National Team athletes and coaches and continuing to cultivate a culture of excellence, where we build up our athletes physically, mentally and emotionally. I’m very excited about this opportunity and am eager to get to work.”