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Danna Durante Named UNC Head Gymnastics Coach
June 25, 2021 | Women's Gymnastics
CHAPEL HILL – Danna Durante, who led the University of Georgia to three Super Six appearances and is a 20-year college coaching veteran, has been named head coach of the University of North Carolina's gymnastics program.
"Danna's commitment to excellence in the gym and the classroom is well-documented, and she has a proven track record of success with elite programs,'' says Carolina Director of Athletics Bubba Cunningham. "She is a leader, teacher and winner, and she is an outstanding addition to the Carolina Family. We are looking forward to watching Tar Heel gymnastics continue to grow under Coach Durante's leadership."
The Tulsa, Okla., native returns to coaching after spending four years recruiting top talent for executive teams for Fortune 500 companies and serving as operations director for What Drives Winning.
She led Georgia's gymnastics program from 2012-2017, where the Gymdogs made five straight NCAA Championship appearances (2013-17), including Super Six appearances in 2013, 2014 and 2016.
"The future of Carolina Gymnastics is limitless. The current and incoming athletes are not only talented gymnasts, but also tremendous young women," says Durante. "I look forward to spending time with each of them in the coming weeks and really getting to know them."
She becomes Carolina's fourth head gymnastics coach; Derek Galvin, who coached the Tar Heels for 39 years, retired in June of 2020
"The athletic and academic excellence at the University of North Carolina speaks for itself. The caliber of students that UNC draws is unparalleled and the athletic programs here are held in high regard," says Durante. "Derek Galvin built an incredibly strong and empowering culture at UNC and Marie Denick has continued to strengthen that culture. In addition to that strong foundation, there is a great deal of potential within this program. I'm honored to lead Carolina Gymnastics and I look forward to our journey together. I want to thank Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz, Director of Athletics Bubba Cunningham, SWA Marielle vanGelder, and CFO Martina Ballen for their belief in my vision and the opportunity to be part of the Carolina Family."
Durante coached Georgia to a fifth-place NCAA Championship finish in 2014, sixth-place finishes in 2013 and 2016, ninth in 2015 and 12th in 2017.
In 2016, she coached two NCAA individual national champions - Brandie Jay (vault) and Brittany Rogers (bars).
Twenty-four individual athletes earned 38 first-team All-America awards during her tenure at Georgia.
The Gymdogs earned a 100 percent graduation rate and 39 individuals made the SEC Academic Honor Roll. Her teams also garnered 30 NACGC Academic All-America awards, and Noel Couch earned a postgraduate scholarship in 2013.
Prior to her five-year stint in Athens, Durante served as the head gymnastics coach at the University of California in 2011-2012.
From 2002-2011, Durante spent nine seasons at the University of Nebraska and worked as the Huskers' beam coach and choreographer. In 2007, she was promoted to associate head coach, a position she held until 2011.
Under her tutelage, Nebraska gymnasts earned 23 All-America awards and a fourth-place finish at the 2011 NCAA Championship.
Before coaching at Nebraska, Durante was an assistant coach at the University of Washington, where she guided the Huskies to a seventh-place finish at the NCAA Championship and a 1999 NCAA West Regional title. For her efforts with the Huskies, she was named the West Regional Assistant Coach of the Year in 1999 and 2002. Prior to her time at UW, she coached the Arizona Sunrays and Royal (Fla.) Gymnastics Clubs.
An impressive gymnast in her own right, Durante was a two-time member of the U.S. Gymnastics Federation in 1988 and 1990 and qualified for the 1988 Olympic Trials. In addition to competing globally in Bulgaria, France, Germany, South Africa and Canada representing the United States, she won top honors in the all-around in the 1986 and 1987 South African Cup.
An Elite Level Judge from 1996-2000, she graduated from Arizona State in 1995 with a bachelor's degree in exercise science. She turned in an illustrious collegiate career with the Sun Devils where she was an All-Pac 10 gymnast from 1992-95 and scored five perfect 10s.
Durante and her husband, Joe, have a daughter, Samantha, and two sons, Jaxson and Jordan.
NOTE: Danna Durante is pronounced DAN-nuh der-RAN-TEE
"Danna's commitment to excellence in the gym and the classroom is well-documented, and she has a proven track record of success with elite programs,'' says Carolina Director of Athletics Bubba Cunningham. "She is a leader, teacher and winner, and she is an outstanding addition to the Carolina Family. We are looking forward to watching Tar Heel gymnastics continue to grow under Coach Durante's leadership."
The Tulsa, Okla., native returns to coaching after spending four years recruiting top talent for executive teams for Fortune 500 companies and serving as operations director for What Drives Winning.
She led Georgia's gymnastics program from 2012-2017, where the Gymdogs made five straight NCAA Championship appearances (2013-17), including Super Six appearances in 2013, 2014 and 2016.
"The future of Carolina Gymnastics is limitless. The current and incoming athletes are not only talented gymnasts, but also tremendous young women," says Durante. "I look forward to spending time with each of them in the coming weeks and really getting to know them."
She becomes Carolina's fourth head gymnastics coach; Derek Galvin, who coached the Tar Heels for 39 years, retired in June of 2020
"The athletic and academic excellence at the University of North Carolina speaks for itself. The caliber of students that UNC draws is unparalleled and the athletic programs here are held in high regard," says Durante. "Derek Galvin built an incredibly strong and empowering culture at UNC and Marie Denick has continued to strengthen that culture. In addition to that strong foundation, there is a great deal of potential within this program. I'm honored to lead Carolina Gymnastics and I look forward to our journey together. I want to thank Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz, Director of Athletics Bubba Cunningham, SWA Marielle vanGelder, and CFO Martina Ballen for their belief in my vision and the opportunity to be part of the Carolina Family."
Durante coached Georgia to a fifth-place NCAA Championship finish in 2014, sixth-place finishes in 2013 and 2016, ninth in 2015 and 12th in 2017.
In 2016, she coached two NCAA individual national champions - Brandie Jay (vault) and Brittany Rogers (bars).
Twenty-four individual athletes earned 38 first-team All-America awards during her tenure at Georgia.
The Gymdogs earned a 100 percent graduation rate and 39 individuals made the SEC Academic Honor Roll. Her teams also garnered 30 NACGC Academic All-America awards, and Noel Couch earned a postgraduate scholarship in 2013.
Prior to her five-year stint in Athens, Durante served as the head gymnastics coach at the University of California in 2011-2012.
From 2002-2011, Durante spent nine seasons at the University of Nebraska and worked as the Huskers' beam coach and choreographer. In 2007, she was promoted to associate head coach, a position she held until 2011.
Under her tutelage, Nebraska gymnasts earned 23 All-America awards and a fourth-place finish at the 2011 NCAA Championship.
Before coaching at Nebraska, Durante was an assistant coach at the University of Washington, where she guided the Huskies to a seventh-place finish at the NCAA Championship and a 1999 NCAA West Regional title. For her efforts with the Huskies, she was named the West Regional Assistant Coach of the Year in 1999 and 2002. Prior to her time at UW, she coached the Arizona Sunrays and Royal (Fla.) Gymnastics Clubs.
An impressive gymnast in her own right, Durante was a two-time member of the U.S. Gymnastics Federation in 1988 and 1990 and qualified for the 1988 Olympic Trials. In addition to competing globally in Bulgaria, France, Germany, South Africa and Canada representing the United States, she won top honors in the all-around in the 1986 and 1987 South African Cup.
An Elite Level Judge from 1996-2000, she graduated from Arizona State in 1995 with a bachelor's degree in exercise science. She turned in an illustrious collegiate career with the Sun Devils where she was an All-Pac 10 gymnast from 1992-95 and scored five perfect 10s.
Durante and her husband, Joe, have a daughter, Samantha, and two sons, Jaxson and Jordan.
NOTE: Danna Durante is pronounced DAN-nuh der-RAN-TEE
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