Head coach Scotty Bauman will celebrate his 35th year at the helm of the SUU gymnastics program in 2026, setting him apart as the longest-tenured coach in all of Thunderbird athletics. Over that time, Bauman has overseen the ascent of the squad from a relatively unknown entity to one that has gained a reputation as one of the nation’s established and respected programs. The ascent has culminated in 12 consecutive NCAA Regional appearances, a three-time All-American in Elise Wheeler, and four conference championships, including 2010 (WAC) , 2023 (MRGC) , 2024 (MPSF), and 2025 (MPSF).
Under Coach Bauman the Flippin' Birds won their third consecutive conference Championship in 2025. Southern Utah also became the first program in the history of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation to sweep the major awards with assistant coaches Jamie Wysong and Jeff Richards earning Assistant Coach of the Year, Ellie Cacciola Specialist of the Year, Mia Hampton Freshman of the Year, Niya Randolph Gymnast of the Year, and Coach Bauman who was named the Head Coach of the Year.Â
Bauman’s work with the SUU squad has been a constant process. During his first year at SUU, his gymnasts set school records for practically every individual and team score. That 1992 season set a precedent for those who would follow, as the Thunderbird gymnasts have virtually rewritten the record books in each subsequent year. The only exception was in 1994, when Bauman saw the departure of seven seniors who were at Southern Utah when he joined the program.
Under Bauman’s guidance the team has jumped its all-around average from 182.16 in 1991 (the year before he came) to a school-record 196.375 in 2023. The team’s assault on the record books has been relentless. A quick glance at the SUU book shows that every individual record has been equaled or set within the last six seasons, and every team mark has been established in the last eight.
Although 2000 was the first time the entire team qualified for the post-season, at least three SUU gymnasts have qualified for at-large berths in all but one of Bauman’s seasons at Southern Utah, including four in 1995, 1999, 2003, and 2007, while five qualified in 2001. In 1998 the Thunderbirds used just two all-arounders; both advanced for the regional meet. Bauman has earned several coaching honors throughout the years, including the 1993 Midwest Region Coach of the Year, 2010 WAC Coach of the Year, and the North Central Region Coach of the Year in 2003 and 2010. In 2023 Bauman was named the MRGC Coach of the Year and received recognition as the Region 2 Head Coach of the Year.
A 1990 graduate of Utah State University, Bauman is in his first head-coaching capacity. He cut his coaching teeth under the tutelage of former USU head coach Ray Corn where he helped develop the Aggies into a national power. Bauman spent seven years as both an undergraduate and graduate assistant in Logan. Bauman resides in Cedar City with his wife, Stephanie, and his two daughters, Shay and Shaun.
