Eastern Michigan Athletics
Gymnastics
Jessica Santos
- Title:
- Assistant Women's Gymnastics Coach
- Email:
- jsantos4@emich.edu
- Phone:
- 734.487.0310
Now in her second season at EMU, Jessica Santos came to Ypsilanti after spending three seasons as a volunteer assistant coach at the University of Illinois to go along with previous coaching stops at Iowa State University, the University of Pittsburgh, and West Virginia University.
In her first year at EMU, she helped Head Coach Jay Santos lead the team to an overall record of 13-5, while also posting the program’s highest team score ever. Specifically, Jess primarily coaches beam and floor, in addition to assisting on the other two as well. Behind Santos’ guidance, Chantelle Loehner, a floor specialist, was named an All-MAC Second Team selection in her final season as an Eagle.
During her time at Illinois, her duties included coordinating floor music and choreography along with assisting on beam, floor and vault. Last season, Santos helped the Fighting Illini to their third trip to NCAA Championships in four seasons and their first back-to-back appearances in school history. The squad recorded a 195.8 for its highest score ever in the NCAA semifinal session, resulting in the program’s best finish and final national ranking of No. 11. Moreover, Santos helped coach Sarah Fielder, who took the beam title at the NCAA regional meet with a score of 9.9. On floor, Giana O’Connor and Erin Buchanan earned All-Big Ten Second Team accolades under her guidance. In addition, Illinois ended the season in the top 25 for the ninth straight season. The 2014 Illini rewrote history more than any other squad in school history. They set a new team total record and the program’s first score above a 197 with a 197.1 at Gym Jam, March 8. Illinois placed five total scores on the all-time top-10 list, including three of the top-four.
In 2013, Santos assisted on both vault and floor, and her impact became quite evident on Senior Day. On March 10, the Illini posted a season-high 49.425 on floor, which was the fourth-highest team score in school history on the exercise. Illinois finished the season ranked 13th nationally on floor with a RQS of 49.235. In addition, the Orange and Blue walked away with nine individual floor titles in 2013. Amber See ranked 20th on floor while Alina Weinstein ranked fourth in the country. Weinstein ended the year as a First Team All-American on floor as she qualified for the floor finals at the NCAA Championships. Finally, Santos’ coaching on vault could not be overlooked, as Weinstein recorded the first perfect 10.0 on vault in Illini history.
In her first year at Iowa State, Santos’ beam squad was ranked as high as No. 8 nationally, and Ashley Kent was the ninth-ranked beam performer in the country for a period of time. Kent went on to place sixth and seventh at the Big 12 Championship and NCAA West Regional, respectively. Santos’ first season also saw the Cyclones earn their highest team score (196.225) and team national ranking (No. 13) since 2007.
Santos joined Iowa State after spending three years at Pittsburgh from 2006-09, where she was named the 2007 NCAA Northeast Regional Co-Assistant Coach of the Year. She focused on vault and floor at Pitt and oversaw Dani Bryan, who won the league vault crown in 2007. Santos had four other gymnasts earn all-league recognition on vault during her tenure at Pittsburgh. She also served as the co-recruiting coordinator for the Panthers.
Before joining the Pittsburgh staff, Santos was a volunteer assistant at her alma mater, West Virginia, during the 2006 season. In one season coaching the Mountaineers, she saw WVU take third in the East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) and place fifth at the NCAA Southeast Regional.
While competing at West Virginia, Santos put together the third-highest all-around score (39.625) in program history. Additionally, she was a First Team All-EAGL honoree in the all-around and on bars in 2005. In 2004, she tied for the league vault crown and was a second team all-league recipient in the all-around and vault. Santos is the last Mountaineer to score a 10.0, a feat she accomplished on vault in 2004.
In her first year at EMU, she helped Head Coach Jay Santos lead the team to an overall record of 13-5, while also posting the program’s highest team score ever. Specifically, Jess primarily coaches beam and floor, in addition to assisting on the other two as well. Behind Santos’ guidance, Chantelle Loehner, a floor specialist, was named an All-MAC Second Team selection in her final season as an Eagle.
During her time at Illinois, her duties included coordinating floor music and choreography along with assisting on beam, floor and vault. Last season, Santos helped the Fighting Illini to their third trip to NCAA Championships in four seasons and their first back-to-back appearances in school history. The squad recorded a 195.8 for its highest score ever in the NCAA semifinal session, resulting in the program’s best finish and final national ranking of No. 11. Moreover, Santos helped coach Sarah Fielder, who took the beam title at the NCAA regional meet with a score of 9.9. On floor, Giana O’Connor and Erin Buchanan earned All-Big Ten Second Team accolades under her guidance. In addition, Illinois ended the season in the top 25 for the ninth straight season. The 2014 Illini rewrote history more than any other squad in school history. They set a new team total record and the program’s first score above a 197 with a 197.1 at Gym Jam, March 8. Illinois placed five total scores on the all-time top-10 list, including three of the top-four.
In 2013, Santos assisted on both vault and floor, and her impact became quite evident on Senior Day. On March 10, the Illini posted a season-high 49.425 on floor, which was the fourth-highest team score in school history on the exercise. Illinois finished the season ranked 13th nationally on floor with a RQS of 49.235. In addition, the Orange and Blue walked away with nine individual floor titles in 2013. Amber See ranked 20th on floor while Alina Weinstein ranked fourth in the country. Weinstein ended the year as a First Team All-American on floor as she qualified for the floor finals at the NCAA Championships. Finally, Santos’ coaching on vault could not be overlooked, as Weinstein recorded the first perfect 10.0 on vault in Illini history.
In her first year at Iowa State, Santos’ beam squad was ranked as high as No. 8 nationally, and Ashley Kent was the ninth-ranked beam performer in the country for a period of time. Kent went on to place sixth and seventh at the Big 12 Championship and NCAA West Regional, respectively. Santos’ first season also saw the Cyclones earn their highest team score (196.225) and team national ranking (No. 13) since 2007.
Santos joined Iowa State after spending three years at Pittsburgh from 2006-09, where she was named the 2007 NCAA Northeast Regional Co-Assistant Coach of the Year. She focused on vault and floor at Pitt and oversaw Dani Bryan, who won the league vault crown in 2007. Santos had four other gymnasts earn all-league recognition on vault during her tenure at Pittsburgh. She also served as the co-recruiting coordinator for the Panthers.
Before joining the Pittsburgh staff, Santos was a volunteer assistant at her alma mater, West Virginia, during the 2006 season. In one season coaching the Mountaineers, she saw WVU take third in the East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) and place fifth at the NCAA Southeast Regional.
While competing at West Virginia, Santos put together the third-highest all-around score (39.625) in program history. Additionally, she was a First Team All-EAGL honoree in the all-around and on bars in 2005. In 2004, she tied for the league vault crown and was a second team all-league recipient in the all-around and vault. Santos is the last Mountaineer to score a 10.0, a feat she accomplished on vault in 2004.
Cinematic Highlights: MAC Gymnastics Championships
Sunday, March 23
Cinematic Highlights: Gymnastics vs WMU + Wilberforce
Friday, February 28
Cinematic Highlights: Gymnastics vs. Kent State
Tuesday, January 28
Cinematics Highlights: Gymnastics Golden Girls Classic
Saturday, January 18
