When it rains, it pours, but who’s complaining when it’s all good news? It’s only been days since Laurent Landi said goodbye to the World Championship Centre, and now Cecile Landi is already headlining, who left WCC back in August. Remember Cecile, the other half of the iconic coaching duo? And, of course, Simone Biles’ rock during some of her toughest moments, like the Tokyo 2021 “twisties”? Who could forget that? Cecile was right there, helping Simone through it all. Under her guidance in WCC, Biles won 16 world titles, plus three golds and a silver in Paris. Crazy, right? So, where’s she headed now?

In just four months, they’re seeing major profits, and here’s why: Simone Biles herself is set to appear at the GymDogs’ season opener! Yep, you read that right. Biles will be the special guest on January 17th when Georgia takes on Boise State. UGA Gymnastics couldn’t hold back the excitement, sharing a picture of Simone draped in four medals (3 gold and 1 silver) on Instagram with the caption: “We are super excited to announce that special guest Simone Biles will be attending the GymDogs’ first home meet of the season!✨ Join us as we honor our Olympians and alumni on January 17th vs. Boise State!” Can you imagine the energy in that arena?

It’s been 15 years since Georgia last claimed an NCAA title. a wild slump for a program that once dominated with five straight championships from 2005 to 2009. But it feels like the tides are turning. Cecile’s fresh approach might just be the missing piece Georgia’s been waiting for. And they’re making sure she’s rewarded for it. Reports say she’s earning around $340,000 a year, a massive 64% jump from what the previous coach made. And here’s the kicker: Simone hasn’t even set foot in that arena yet, and Georgia’s already seeing huge returns.

Stegeman Coliseum at the University of Georgia is already heating up, and it hasn’t even been a game day yet! With a seating capacity of 10,523, the excitement around the season opener against Boise State is palpable. Tickets are going from $13 to $16, and while the total sales might top $168,368, the demand for tickets is so high that they could open additional seating or standing areas. At this rate, they might be looking at nearly $200,000 in ticket sales!

Looks like the GymDogs’ opener is set to be a huge hit, and they haven’t even hit the floor yet! But if anyone deserves credit for this early buzz, it’s Cecile Landi. So, why is Simone Biles still supporting her, even after Cecile left the WCC, the gym owned by Simone’s parents? What’s behind this strong bond between them?

Simone Biles’ support for Cecile Landi’s bold move to UGA!

Cecile Landi has been Simone Biles’ coach since 2017. She said goodbye to the World Champions Centre back in August and headed over to Athens, Georgia, to start her new role as co-head coach at the University of Georgia. It was a big change for Landi, who’s been with Simone through all of her Olympic glory. However, Cecile didn’t have prior experience in college coaching. The Georgia team was excited to have her, sharing a post saying, “Gang’s all here!” and Landi herself was all smiles on Instagram, saying, “It was a good day! So happy to be finally in Athens!”

Simone, of course, wasn’t going to let her coach make this move without some serious love and support. She immediately posted a heartfelt message congratulating Landi, saying, “Congratulations, Cecile. I can’t think of a more deserving person. Can’t wait to see what the future holds for UGA Gymnastics! Y’all are in GREAT hands!” Simone’s not shy about how much Landi means to her—she even called the Landis “the GREATEST COACHES OF ALL TIME” after Paris. Even though Cecile is now coaching elsewhere, Simone’s support hasn’t wavered one bit.

It has now fallen to Landi and co-head coach Ryan Roberts to take Georgia back to the pinnacle of NCAA gymnastics. Georgia used to be a monster but hasn’t been very impressive recently; they ranked 18th in the nation in 2024. That is why Landi fully understands that it will not be an easy achievement, but she fully agrees and is fully willing to wait.“You’ve got to find the right people, the right athletes, and everyone ready to commit to the goal and just be patient,” she said. She’s signed on for five years, and she’s willing to start rebuilding a team from the ground up gradually. Now we can only imagine that with Simone supporting her from the bench, this duo just moves from one point to another, making waves.