PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers Athletics has announced the hiring of Umme Salim-Beasley as the eighth head coach in Rutgers gymnastics history. Previously on the Scarlet Knights' staff as an assistant from 2012-15, Salim-Beasley spent the last three seasons leading Temple and rewriting the program's record book.
 
"We are delighted to welcome coach Salim-Beasley back to 'The Banks,'" Director of Athletics Pat Hobbs said. "She is a proven developer of programs and the right person to lead our gymnastics program to Big Ten competitiveness. We couldn't be happier."
 
"I am incredibly excited and honored to be offered the opportunity to return to Rutgers as a head coach," Salim-Beasley said. "It's a great feeling to be familiar with the prestige and history of Rutgers gymnastics. I am looking forward to setting the foundation for a winning program within the Big Ten. I am positive that Rutgers gymnastics is ready for a fresh start and I can't wait to create excitement behind the program with this amazing group of ladies."
 
Each of the top 10 team scores in Temple history came under Salim-Beasley's watch. The Owls reset the school record twice this past season with marks of 196.050 and 195.800 to post a program-high RQS of 195.015. Earning 2018 ECAC Coach of the Year, Salim-Beasley sent two specialists to NCAA Regionals, making it the first time the program sent multiple representatives. A total of 11 gymnasts earned spots on the All-ECAC Teams, including seven on the All-Academic Team.
 
Salim-Beasley and her squad finished the 2017 season ranking first in the ECAC with the highest RQS in school history at the time at 194.155. She was a finalist for the Philadelphia Coaches Association Head Coach of the Year and was named Northeast Region Co-Coach of the Year. Salim-Beasley also helped lead her team to the best ECAC Championships total in program history with a 193.675. The 2017 Championship performance included the highest ECAC bar total in school history with a 48.825 and the second-highest beam total at a conference championship with a 48.450.
 
Overall, the Owls tallied 36 total individual scores of 9.800 or above, an improvement from 14 in 2016 and just nine in 2015. Those scores helped Salim-Beasley's squad to 22 individual event titles that included the program's first ever ECAC uneven bars champion in Alexa Phillip.
 
In her first season with the Owls, Salim-Beasley guided the team to a season-high score of 192.525 at the ECAC Championships to cap off the season. At the meet, four Owls brought home a collective six conference medals, including a gold from Briana Odom. Salim-Beasley also coached Odom to a second-place all-around finish with the programs' second-highest score of 39.050. That would be topped by Tori Edwards in 2018 after registering a 39.125.
 
During her four years at Rutgers, Salim-Beasley served as the recruiting coordinator and worked with the uneven bars, among other day-to-day duties for the program. Salim-Beasley helped the Scarlet Knights to a NCAA Regional berth in 2014 and its best EAGL finish in school history, winning EAGL Assistant Coach of the Year in the process. Uneven bars were a big part of the success, as four gymnasts earned all-conference in the event.
 
In addition, Salim-Beasley guided one of her student-athletes, Alexis Gunzelman, to the top regional qualifying score (RQS) in the conference on bars (9.845) on the way to the first NCAA National all-around appearance by a Scarlet Knight in program history. Gunzelman posted a 9.800 at the national meet, her eighth consecutive meet with at least that score to end the season.
 
As recruiting coordinator, Salim-Beasley expanded the Scarlet Knights' base nationally to attract top talent from outside the area. Traditionally recruiting in New Jersey and the surrounding states, the Scarlet Knights were able to pull in gymnasts from Florida, South Carolina, Arizona and Massachusetts.
 
Salim-Beasley brings impressive competition credentials, having competed collegiately at West Virginia University from 1995 to 1998. A native of Pasadena, Maryland, she was a two-time national qualifier at Hill's Gymnastic Training Center in Gaithersburg, Maryland, before earning a full scholarship to West Virginia.
 
Salim-Beasley was named Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year as a freshman for the Mountaineers, and earned spots on the All-EAGL First Team in all-around, bars and beam her sophomore and junior seasons. She finished off her career by being named the EAGL Gymnast of the Year and Most Outstanding Senior Gymnast in her final season in Morgantown in addition to winning the EAGL all-around, bar and beam titles that year. Her accomplishments also ranked her as the fifth-best gymnast in the country and as a finalist for the AAI Award in 1998. Salim-Beasley currently holds the WVU uneven bars record, scoring a 10.0 in 1998. 
 
After graduating from West Virginia with a degree in early childhood education, Salim-Beasley went into coaching, starting as an assistant coach at Penn in 1999. During her one season with the Quakers, the team won the Ivy League Championships in addition to an undefeated regular season, breaking team records in every event.
 
Salim-Beasley returned to Morgantown as a volunteer assistant coach during the 2006-07 season.
 
For three years, she coached the Severna Park High School gymnastics team to two county championships, including an undefeated regular season in her first year. Additionally, she coached two different gymnasts to all-around championships.
 
Salim-Beasley was also a teacher at Eagle Cove School in Pasadena, Maryland, for four years. She is married to former WVU football All-American and NFL veteran, Aaron Beasley, and the couple have three daughters: Amirah, Dahlia and Layla.
 
Follow Rutgers Athletics on Facebook and Twitter (@RUAthletics) for all of the latest news and updates. For specific updates regarding women's gymnastics, follow the program on Twitter (@RUGymnastics), Facebook (/RUGymnastics), Instagram (@rutgersgymnastics) and Snapchat (rutgersgym). For additional updates, please download the Gameday App.