Ross Thompson - Gymnastics Coach

Ross Thompson

Personal Information

Coaching Experience

Playing Experience

Ross Thompson, entering his third season with the Crimson Tide, joined the Alabama gymnastics staff in May 2024.

Thompson's Time at Alabama

Named the Central Region Assistant Coach of the Year by the WCGA
In his second season, Thompson oversaw the Tide's uneven bars squad
Saw freshman Azaraya Ra-Akbar and junior Chloe LaCoursiere secure WCGA Regular Season All-America honors
Alabama scored above a 49.375 on the apparatus every meet this season, including a program-record 49.700 against Illinois
Directed the Tide to 39 routines of 9.9-or higher on the uneven bars, including a perfect 10.000 from SEC Freshman of the Year Azaraya Ra-Akbar
- Only gymnast in the Central region to earn the 10 score
- First UA gymnast since 2023 to score a 10.000 on bars and first UA freshman since 1999
Under Thompson's watch, premier specialist Chloe LaCoursiere led the nation on the uneven bars for nine consecutive weeks, the most of any gymnast in the country, while her 9.965 NQS was the highest of any junior in the nation
- LaCoursiere recorded a stretch of 12 consecutive scores of 9.925 or higher on the uneven bars
- LaCoursiere and Ra-Akbar were ranked first and second, nationally, the final four weeks of the season on the uneven bars
Had the Tide's uneven bars rotation ranked in the top two of the Central region every week of the season except for Week 1 due to no scheduled competition

In his first season, Thompson oversaw the Tide's uneven bars squad
Saw freshman Ryan Fuller and sophomore Chloe LaCoursiere secure WCGA Championship All-America honors, along with All-SEC recognition for Fuller
Under his direction, the Tide scored above a 49.100 on the apparatus every meet this season
Saw UA perform over 20 routines of 9.9-or higher on the apparatus
Guided Alabama to earn a top-seven score in program history against Florida, at 49.525
Led the Tide to a No. 3 ranking in the region with a NQS of 49.350

Primarily served as an assistant coach on the Illinois women's gymnastics staff from 2023-24
- Oversaw vault and floor exercise in 2023, and vault and uneven bars during the 2024 season
- Helped guide the Fighting Illini to the program's 19th (2023) and 20th (2024) straight appearances at the NCAA Regionals
- Led the floor exercise lineup to a program-record rotation score of 49.525 in his first year on staff
- Increased the program's national vault ranking by 10 places
Big Ten Conference champion as a student-athlete on the Illinois men's gymnastics team from 2016-19
- Helped lead the Fighting Illini to three consecutive third-place finishes at the NCAA Championships (2016-18)
- 2018 Big Ten event finalist on high bar
- 2018 CGA First Team All-American Scholar-Athlete
- Two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree (2018, 2019)
- Two-time Academic All-American
- Served on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee for three years