Rutgers University Athletics

2014 EAGL Coach of the Year
2014 National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches/Women Northeast Region Head Coach of the Year

Louis Levine, who led Rutgers gymnastics to the NCAA Regionals in 2014, is in his seventh season as the head coach of the Scarlet Knights. The 2017-18 season is his 10th overall in Piscataway as the program is in year four in the Big Ten Conference.

Levine has transitioned the Scarlet Knights into the Big Ten, raising the level both in the gym and in the classroom. The program has had 33 NACGC/W Scholastic All-Americans under his six-year watch with a perfect 1,000 APR score in the latest NCAA report, which measures eligibility, graduation and retention each term. The multiyear mark in the report continues to sit among the top gymnastics programs nationally. In addition, 23 members of the program have achieved Academic All-Big Ten status in the three years in the conference.

Rutgers gymnastics has sent representatives to NCAA Regionals in each of the six years under Levine, including a team appearance in 2014. Scores have also been on the rise with nine of the top 10 team marks in program history happening in the last four seasons, with the record of 196.225 set on March 8, 2014.

Interest in the program has also soared, as each of the last 10 meets at the Livingston Recreation Center have been sold out heading into the 2017 season. Consequently, four meets in the last three seasons have taken place at the RAC to accommodate more fans. RU also opens its doors to the conference by hosting the 2017 Big Ten Championships at the RAC, holding the two-session meet on a podium for the first time in the event's history. The crowd of 4,081 marked the most ever to witness a Rutgers gymnastics home meet.

The 2017 season also saw junior Libby Groden become the first Scarlet Knight to earn All-Big Ten status, as the all-arounder qualified for NCAA Regionals for the third-straight season. The team reached 194.700 at Big Ten Championships, with both senior Claire Jones (vault) and junior Makenzey Shank (balance beam) earning spots on the Big Ten All-Championships Team for their performance.

In 2016, the Scarlet Knights featured a balanced lineup across the board with contributions from both newcomers and veterans. Each event reached 49.000 at least once with the Scarlet Knights topping the 195-mark three times during the campaign. Floor exercise ended up with the highest RQS at 48.935, as freshman Riahanah Ali earned All-Championship Team at the Big Ten Championships, a meet where RU hit all 24 routines overall. Levine guided three individuals to NCAA Regionals - Michelle Amoresano (vault), Groden (all-around) and Nicolette Wilson (vault) -  to continue a streak of sending competitors to the NCAA level. Also worth noting, RU earned its first Big Ten dual meet by taking down Maryland with a 194.900, a mark that featured a 49.075 on vault.

Levine transitioned the Scarlet Knights into the Big Ten in 2015, as the team placed three gymnasts at NCAA Regionals and broke the school record on floor exercise (49.375). At the Big Ten Championships, televised live on Big Ten Network, RU tied for the highest score on vault in its session.

In guiding Rutgers to a break-through season in 2014, Levine earned both East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) Coach of the Year and the NACGC/W Northeast Region Head Coach of the Year. RU shattered nearly every record under Levine in 2014, including six of the top 10 scores in school history at the time, with a program-high 196.225 on Senior Day. The season was highlighted by the team's appearance at the NCAA Regionals in Athens, Georgia, qualifying with a program-best RQS of 195.340. The trip marked the program's first showing since 2007 and the first time under the new format.

The Scarlet Knights broke two event records as well, recording program-bests on vault and floor exercise. In correlation to the rising scores, Rutgers brought in seven weekly conference honors on the season, with at least two in each of the three categories. Six different gymnasts picked up 11 All-EAGL accolades and 12 earned All-Scholastic Team recognition. RU registered a tie for third at EAGL Championships (195.275), the best placement and score in school history at the meet. Additionally, RU went 17-5 head-to-head in the regular season with three wins over ranked opponents.

Following Levine's leadership, Alexis Gunzelman finished her career by becoming the first all-arounder in school history to qualify for NCAA Nationals. She was the first Scarlet Knight to reach the national level since Courtney Turner in 2002 (floor exercise). Gunzelman also earned her third Team MVP and first-team all-league five times for her performance as a senior.

In 2013, Rutgers continued its growth, recording four of its top six scores at the time. The highlight of the 2013 season came on Senior Day when Rutgers notched the then-program-record 195.975 to win a quad meet. The mark shattered the previous high of 195.400 set back in 2000. Levine sent four individual competitors to NCAA Regionals.

Under Levine, Luisa Leal, who missed most to the 2012 season, was awarded EAGL Team MVP. The junior's highlight of the season came in the March 8 meet at Towson where she broke her own school all-around record with a 39.500 to win EAGL Gymnast of the Week. Leal placed at least tied for first in every event, notching a career-high 9.950 score on floor exercise.

In his first season as head coach, Levine led the squad to a 13-11 record. The team had its best performance of the season at the EAGL Championships, notching a score of 193.850. Under Levine, Gunzelman qualified for NCAA Regionals as an individual. She also earned a First Team All-EAGL All-Around spot and a fifth-place finish at the EAGL Championships, the highest placing ever by a Scarlet Knight at that event at the time.

With Levine's guidance, Danielle D'Elia, Gunzelman and Jenna Zito picked up Second Team All-EAGL Floor honors, Gunzelman earned Second Team Bars and Alyssa Straub was recognized with Second Team All-Around accolades. Academically, 11 gymnasts earned Scholastic All-America awards from the National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches/Women (NACGC/W).

Levine was officially hired as head coach on May 9, 2011.

In his three prior seasons on the Rutgers staff under coach Chrystal Chollet-Norton, the Scarlet Knights achieved great success. The 2011 squad established a school-record for victories in a season with a 19-8 overall mark and enjoyed its then-highest-ever finish and score (fifth and 193.625) in the EAGL Championships. Three gymnasts - D'Elia, Zito and Leal - earned a berth in the NCAA Regionals, marking the program's first representation in the regionals since 2007. Levine helped coach three gymnasts to All-EAGL honors, including Leal who was named the EAGL Rookie of the Year in her first season "On the Banks."

As a team, the Scarlet Knights improved their regional qualifying score to 194.740, improving from the previous year's score of 194.350. Floor exercise proved to be the most successful event of the season, with RU posting a 49.005 RQS and breaking the then-school-record 49.250. The team also saw success on vault, posting a 49.100, which now stands as the second-best score in school history. The uneven bars were the event that the Scarlet Knights improved most in by notching the best mark at the EAGL Championships (48.900).

A native of Maplewood, N.J., Levine returned to his home state after three years as the Director of the International Gymnastics Camp in Stroudsburg, Pa., from 2005-08. He also coached at Surgent's Elite School of Gymnastics in Roselle Park, N.J., from 2008-09.

Levine spent time with the USA Gymnastics team in Daegu, South Korea, where he was an assistant coach for the World University Games.

He began his coaching career at his alma mater, the University of Michigan, where he served three seasons as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator from 2002-04. Levine oversaw all aspects of Michigan's recruiting operations and helped organize the program's operating budget. During his time at Michigan, he served on the planning committee for the program's freshman student-athlete orientation program, helping mentor newcomers. While a member of the Wolverines' staff, he coached 2003 NCAA Vault Champion Andrew DiGiore.

He has coached several Junior National Team and Senior National Team members and a Junior National Champion in the all-around.

Levine is no stranger to the Big Ten, as he competed on the vault during his time at Michigan, where he helped guide the Wolverines to a pair of Big Ten titles in 1999 and 2000 and the 1999 NCAA Championship. He was a two-time recipient of the Coaches Appreciation Award.

Levine received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Michigan in 2002 and Master's from the American InterContinental University Business School in 2006.

A decorated gymnast, Levine attended Columbia High School in Maplewood, N.J. He currently resides in nearby Springfield, N.J.

The Levine File
2011-present: Rutgers Women's Gymnastics Head Coach (Piscataway, N.J.)
2008-11: Rutgers Women's Gymnastics Assistant Coach (Piscataway, N.J.)
2006-07: Eventwise Director of Operations (Adelaide, Australia)
2005-08: International Gymnastics Camp Assistant Director (Stroudsburg, Pa.)
2002-04: Michigan Men's Gymnastics Assistant Coach (Ann Arbor, Mich.)
2003: USA Gymnastics Assistant Coach (Indianapolis, Ind.)
2000-02: Michigan Assistant Media Director (Ann Arbor, Mich.)