The Rutgers Scarlet Knights were off to a flying start to the 2025 NCAA gymnastics season. With an 8-1 overall record, Maya Jones & Co. looked to be in perfect form. In the first two weeks of the campaign, Rutgers has already defeated heavyweight foes such as Wilberforce, Southern Utah, and Towson. Naturally, the emphatic start made many hope that 2025 would bode well for the gymnastics program. However, a bolt from the blue has struck, and it looks like the ship might be running without a captain for a while.

A post by Inside Gymnastics from January 17 has updated fans about the head coach situation at Rutgers. “Rutgers head gymnastics coach Umme Salim-Beasley has been placed on paid administrative leave after an external investigation found that she “lost control” of her program and at times “presided over a divided and dysfunctional organization,” reads the caption of the post, explaining how the squad faces a dire situation.

But the astonishing string of information does not end there. The IG post also explains that Coach Umme Salim-Beasley violated university policy by having “an undisclosed relationship with former athletic director Pat Hobbs.” It would be safe to assume that no one saw this coming or expected the coach’s personal life to interfere with the gymnastics team’s business, especially when the squad was looking to be at the top of things.

When allegations of misconduct and “claims of bullying and disregard for the athletes’ physical and mental health” by the Scarlet Knights head coach came to the fore in September last year, Rutgers took prompt action, as per a report by The Daily Targum from September 2024. They hired law firm Lowenstein Sandler to open an external investigation into the culture of the gymnastics program. The move came after some internal investigations conducted by the college itself before handing over the reins to outside investigators.

An independent investigation by NJ Advance Media last summer noted that there was “widespread discord and conflict throughout the season,” resulting in more rift between the stakeholders. Moreover, things received another jolt when many gymnasts started opening up last August about the toxic environment they had to perform in under pressure from the head coach. While it remains to be seen how things will pan out in the coming days, the attention must be turned toward the gymnastics program and charting a course through the troubled waters, especially considering how Rutgers’ upcoming weeks look.

Rutgers’ gymnastics woes don’t seem to end

Rutgers’ 2024 season was a disaster. A 12-15 overall record was like a dull mark on the program. The team also ended the 2024 conference season with an embarrassing 0-9 record. While now it can be surmised that probably the coach’s enamored state left the team astray, the Scarlet Knights gymnastics stars undoubtedly wanted to make things better this time around. The start of the 2025 season promised to make amends in the most emphatic way possible. With a streak of wins, the team looked solid and on its way to a brighter year ahead.

Rutgers will begin its Big Ten campaign on Saturday as they take on Washington at the Jersey Mike’s Arena. However, diving into the Big Ten without a designated captain, the campaign could become a problem for the athletes, who will need to pull up their socks quickly! Under these circumstances, assistant head coach Anastasia Candia might also need to step forward to fill the shoes left behind by her boss. Candia guided the team into a triumphant year in 2023 when Rutgers set a new program record score of 196.875. Along with the first-ever 196+ score, the Scarlet Knights also posted a 49.400 on the beam, which was also the program record and was headed by Candia.

While the beam is Anastasia’s primary domain, she also undertakes more responsibilities for Rutgers, including being the preseason and postseason conditioning coach, a certified spin instructor, and the team’s choreographer for floor routines. With the current situation, thus the assistant head coach can become the beacon that guides the Rutgers gymnastics program for the time being.

However, the latest development has once again sent out a ripple and will likely take some time before settling down. Amidst the situation, it’s understandable if the athletes also need some time to get into the right headspace to bring out the best in them. So how do you foresee the gymnastics team’s season panning out? Share your predictions in the comments!