Anastasia Candia Promoted to Rutgers Gymnastics Head Coach
Rutgers Athletics just made a defining move for its gymnastics program, elevating longtime assistant and alumna Anastasia Candia to head coach. After guiding the Scarlet Knights through one of their best seasons ever as acting head coach, Candia now officially takes the reins.
Her promotion is about continuity, trust, and the belief that the program’s recent momentum is only the beginning. With deep Rutgers roots and a proven coaching résumé, Candia’s appointment signals a bold new chapter for Scarlet Knights gymnastics.
An Internal Promotion Rooted in Trust and Results
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Rutgers didn’t promote Anastasia Candia just because she’s familiar—they did it for results. Since joining the coaching staff in 2018, Candia has helped reshape the team’s competitive identity within the Big Ten.
She led the Scarlet Knights during the 2025 season as acting head coach, showing she was ready for the top job. The official Rutgers Athletics release made it clear: the department trusts Candia’s vision and leadership.
She connects with student-athletes, keeps the team focused, and delivers real progress. That made her the obvious choice to lead the program forward.
A Historic 2025 Season Set the Standard
The timing for Candia’s promotion feels perfect. The 2025 season turned out to be one of the most successful in Rutgers gymnastics history, full of milestones that had been out of reach for years.
- First NCAA Championships appearance since 2014
- 196.225 team score at the Big Ten Championships, the program’s best since joining the conference in 2015
- 16 total victories, the most in a single season since 2014
Recognition on the National Stage
Candia’s impact reached well beyond Piscataway. Her peers across collegiate gymnastics took notice and gave her one of the sport’s most respected honors.
WCGA Region 3 Head Coach of the Year
After the 2025 season, Candia earned the Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association Region 3 Head Coach of the Year award. That put her among the region’s elite and validated Rutgers’ decision to give her the job.
Assistant coaches Danielle DeMarco and Michael Rosso also picked up WCGA Region 3 Assistant Coaches of the Year honors. That says a lot about the strength and chemistry of the whole coaching staff.
Beam Excellence: Candia’s Coaching Signature
If there’s one area where Candia’s touch is obvious, it’s balance beam. Since she arrived, Rutgers has turned beam from a weakness into a legitimate national strength.
She’s guided the Scarlet Knights to rewrite the program’s record books, building consistency and confidence on one of gymnastics’ toughest events.
Record-Breaking Performances
Starting in 2020, Rutgers posted 10 of its top 11 beam scores in program history. That includes the current school record of 49.400, set in 2023.
In 2025, Rutgers ranked No. 22 nationally on beam—a huge leap in a stacked field. Candia has coached multiple NCAA Regional qualifiers on beam, like Stephanie Zannella, Hannah Joyner, Gabrielle Dildy, and Rachael Riley.
Her mentorship has boosted both individual athletes and the team’s overall scoring power.
Individual Milestones and Podium Finishes
Beam success has translated into some big individual milestones:
- First-ever Big Ten Championship podium finishes on beam in 2021
- Rutgers’ first national qualifier on beam, achieved by Hannah Joyner
- Multiple school record holders developed under Candia’s guidance
A Scarlet Knight Through and Through
Candia’s connection to Rutgers goes way beyond her coaching credentials. She’s a proud alumna and former four-year letterwinner, competing for the Scarlet Knights from 2011 to 2015.
As a student-athlete, she helped the team reach what was then its highest score ever and picked up personal honors, including Most Improved Gymnast of the Year in 2014. That mix of athletic experience and Rutgers knowledge gives her a unique perspective as head coach.
Academic and Professional Foundation
Candia’s background isn’t limited to gymnastics. She earned an undergraduate degree in psychology from Rutgers, then completed her master’s in counseling psychology at Temple.
She’s currently working toward a doctorate in sport psychology, a field that fits perfectly with today’s coaching demands. This academic side lets Candia address the mental and emotional side of performance, which is becoming more important every year in college sports.
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Continuity with an Eye on the Future
By promoting Candia, Rutgers keeps things steady while aiming for even more growth. She’s the ninth head coach in program history and steps in with a real grasp of both the program’s challenges and its potential.
Her time as associate head coach from 2022 to 2024, and then acting head coach in 2025, made for a smooth transition. It’s tough to overstate the value of that stability.
Big Ten and National Aspirations
Rutgers gymnastics has been climbing steadily in the Big Ten, which is no easy feat in one of the country’s toughest conferences. With Candia at the helm, the focus shifts from breakthrough moments to consistent national relevance.
The pieces are there: proven coaching, a growing recruiting profile, and a team that’s already shown it can compete on big stages. There’s every reason to believe Scarlet Knights gymnastics is just getting started.
What This Means for Rutgers Athletics
The promotion of Anastasia Candia says a lot about Rutgers Athletics. They’re choosing to reward excellence, invest in leadership, and trust their own people.
Gymnastics at Rutgers has really started turning heads in the Big Ten. You can feel the momentum building around the program.
With Candia at the helm, Rutgers isn’t just looking back at what they’ve done. They’re setting the stage for a future that feels more stable, competitive, and maybe even nationally respected.
Want all the details? Check out the official Rutgers Athletics release on Rutgers gymnastics head coach Anastasia Candia.
Looking ahead, it’s hard not to feel optimistic. The program’s got someone at the top who knows what it means to wear the R—and honestly, that matters when you’re trying to reach new heights.