The Red and Black

Issue date: 3/16/09 Section: Opinions

Media Credit: DANIEL SHIREY Gym Dogs head coach Suzanne Yoculan gets emotional after her last meet at Stegeman Coliseum. She retires at the end of the season. [Click to enlarge]

Superb Suzanne

As Suzanne Yoculan is set to retire, we thank her for her 26 years in Athens.The numbers speak for themselves.

NCAA Championships: Nine.

SEC Championships: 16.

Individual titles: 33.

All-Americans: 68.

And head coach Suzanne Yoculan has been there every step of the way.

Yoculan - who completed her final meet at Stegeman Coliseum Saturday with a win - undoubtedly has done more for the sport of college gymnastics than any other coach.

This year, Yoculan and the Gym Dogs are aiming to win their 10th national title - an unprecedented number for any team.

At the University, she turned gymnastics into our unofficial "winter" sport - gymnastics meets routinely sell more tickets to Stegemen Coliseum than basketball games.

As the gymnastics team prepares for the remainder of its season and look to win a fifth straight national title, we want to thank Yoculan for an amazing 26 years in Athens.

"Gymnastics is a sport," Yoculan said after her final home meet. "It's not the most important thing in life - what's important is the lessons you learn through the sport."

We have no doubt Yoculan has learned countless lessons from the many, many gymnasts whose lives she has touched, not only through coaching, but as a mentor, as well.

And with the end of another record-breaking season approaching, we wish good luck to associate head coach Jay Clark, who will fill Yoculan's shoes next season.

"He's passionate about what he does and he's going to do great things here with Georgia gymnastics," said Yoculan.

Yoculan's name will live on though, as future generations of Gym Dogs practice at the Suzanne Yoculan Gymnastics Center.

Go Dogs.

- Shannon Otto for the editorial board

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