University of Minnesota Athletics
'U' Hires Grace McCallum as Assistant Coach
6/12/2026 10:49:00 AM | Gymnastics
McCallum is a Minnesota native who competed at Utah
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota gymnastics program has hired Grace McCallum as its newest assistant coach, the program announced today. McCallum comes to Minnesota after spending last season as a student assistant coach at her alma mater, Utah. She helped the Red Rocks to a regional finals appearance in 2026 before being outlasted by Minnesota and UCLA in the Corvallis Regional.
"It's hard to describe what this opportunity means to me," McCallum said. "From being a young gymnast who admired this program, to now joining Minnesota gymnastics as a coach, it truly feels like a full-circle moment. I'm grateful for the opportunity to learn from and work alongside such an amazing staff and group of student-athletes. I can't wait to help continue the tradition and excellence that makes this program so special. Forever and Always Golden!"
She finished her illustrious career with the Red Rocks last spring, where was one of the best college gymnasts in the country in 2025. She ranked ninth in the all-around and was a key component for Utah Gymnastics making their historic 49th straight appearance at Nationals, and fifth straight appearance in the Final Four. In the classroom, she earned a 4.0 GPA and her bachelor's degree in psychology.
Also in 2025, McCallum was tied second on bars and tied fourth in the country on beam. A 15-time All-American (8 regular season, 7 NCAA), she was a runner-up on vault (9.95), bars (9.9625), floor (9.95), and all-around (39.675) during the NCAA National Championships, and finished her career with 78 total victories.
McCallum was recognized as the WCGA Region 2 Gymnast of the Year, Big 12 Gymnast of the Year, and was one of six finalists for the coveted AAI Award in her final year of eligibility.
"We are thrilled to welcome Grace McCallum to our coaching staff," said head coach Jenny Hansen. "Grace is one of the most accomplished gymnasts ever to come out of Minnesota, and her success on the world stage and at the University of Utah speaks to her talent, work ethic, and commitment to excellence. Beyond her impressive achievements, she is a natural fit for our culture—someone who leads with humility, passion, and a genuine desire to help others succeed."
She had a fantastic final Big 12 Championships meet, earning the all-around title and a co-champion title on vault. She was named to the All-Big 12 Team on vault, bars, beam, floor, and the all-around.
The Olympic silver medalist made her mark on several school records during her final season of competition, finishing second for number of 10s on bars in a season (3) and in a career (6).
McCallum currently owns the fourth highest all-around score (39.825) in program history, is tied fourth for all-around wins in a season (7) and all-around wins in a career (17). She was the fourth gymnast in Red Rocks history to record at least two 10.0s on bars in a season (2022, 2025), and ranks fifth all-time for 10s in a career (8).
Prior to Utah, McCallum was a four-year member of USA National Team (2018-21) and was a 2020 U.S. Olympic Team member. She finished 4th in the all-around, 5th on bars, 5th on beam at 2021 U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
An Isanti, Minnesota native, she trained at Twin City Twisters and was a graduate of Minnesota Connections Academy. The daughter of Edward and Sandy McCallum, she has six siblings, Rachael, Madelyn, Joseph, John, Xavier and Nolan.
"Grace is eager to make an impact with our student-athletes, and we are excited for the energy, experience, and championship mindset she will bring to our program," Hansen said.