Finishing the Regional 3-Peat in Year Two
In her second year with the Golden Eagles, Dr. Lyst led the squad to another NCGA East Region Title to make it three in a row. After going 15-3 during the regular season. With two gymnasts claiming individual regional titles (Schumaker - Vault & Sargent - Bars), Brockport has now won 10 total regional titles which includes eight since 2010. In 2023 the team finished the campaign with a fifth place showing at nationals that featured five podium finishes and four earning All-American status (Schumaker - Vault, Figurelli - Vault, Sargent - Vault & Bars, & Eramo - Vault). Academically, Brockport was recognized with five NCGA Academica All-Americans as Blair, Figurelli, Gare, Swick, and White all held a 3.4 GPA or higher.
Successful Campaign in Year One
In her first year leading the program, Dr. Lyst pushed the Golden Eagles to a second-place finish at nationals in 2022. The team became the first in history to finish the regular season with an undefeated record (15-0) and set a program record with 15 dual meet victories. Brockport easily won the NCGA East Region Title. Lexi Castellaneta went on to win the NCGA Outstanding Senior Award and East Region Gymnast of the Year. Dr. René Lyst led the squad to two individual national titles (Taylor Bushey - Bars & Kyra Figurelli - Floor) and All-American status for eight gymnasts.
Joining Brockport in 2021
SUNY Brockport Athletic Director
Erick Hart announced the hiring of Dr. René Lyst as the new head gymnastics coach and lecturer in the department of Kinesiology, Sports Studies, and Physical Education on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021. Lyst will be responsible for all aspects of Brockport's nationally recognized gymnastics program while also lecturing in the KSSPE department on campus.
"We are excited to have René join our staff here at Brockport," said athletic director
Erick Hart. "Her extensive coaching background speaks for itself, and we're eager to have her continue the excellent legacy of Brockport gymnastics that has been built by Coach Feeney over the course of the last 20+ years. We're thrilled to welcome René to the Brockport family, and we can't wait to start practice and competition in the coming months."
Lyst, who received her doctorate in higher education from the University of Arkansas in 2011, has over 20 years of collegiate gymnastics coaching experience which includes head coaching positions at Arizona State University, the University of Arkansas and assistant coaching experience at the University of Massachusetts, Penn State, and Stanford University.
"I want to thank Athletic Director
Erick Hart and Assistant Athletic Director
Dani Drews for this incredible opportunity and welcoming me into the Brockport family," said Lyst. "I have been so impressed with the comradery amongst the coaches and the professionalism of the staff."
During her college coaching career Lyst has been responsible and instrumental in a list of accomplishments which includes three NCAA Division I Individual National Champions, 53 NCAA All-Americans, two Super Six appearances, 10 NCAA National Championship appearances, 10 NCAA individual national qualifiers, three NCAA regional team titles, 20 NCAA regional team appearances, 24 NCAA regional individual champions, three conference team championships, five conference individual champions, three American award finalists, two Honda award finalists and 115 NACGC/W scholar athletes.
She spent two seasons as the head coach at Division I Arizona State University where she led her student-athletes to NCAA regional and national qualifications as well as Pac-12 All-Conference selections and All-Academic awards. During her time with the Sun Devils, she was responsible for all aspects of the program which included all coaching and practice planning, oversight of the strength and conditioning program, academic progress and community service activities. She was also the director of recruiting, responsible for budget management and organized team building and mental health training to promote and cultivate positive relationships with athletes and families.
"Brockport is so fortunate to have such a talented and accomplished coach as René to take over the reins of our program. I have no doubt that she will continue the proud tradition of Brockport Gymnastics set by Coach Feeney," said Assistant Athletic Director
Dani Drews. "René impressed us during every aspect of the search process with her with her passion for collegiate gymnastics and her focus on the student-athlete experience. She is going to be an excellent addition to both the Athletics and KSSPE departments."
Prior to her time at ASU, she spent 13 seasons building the University of Arkansas program from the ground up as the co-head coach of the program. During her time with the Razorbacks, she led the way for several accomplishments which included 15 First Team All-Southeast Conference selections, two SEC Gymnast of the Year honors, nine NCAA Regional Team appearances, two NCAA Regional Team titles, four NCAA National Individual All-Around qualifiers, seven NCAA team appearances, two National Championship event titles, and 38 NCAA All-Americans. In 2008, she was named the SEC Coach of the Year and in 2009 she was named the NCAA Division I Regional Coach of the Year.
She also spent four years as an assistant coach at Stanford University where she helped guide the team to two Pac-10 team titles, two Pac-10 individual titles, one NCAA Regional Team title, two NCAA Team appearances, one national champion and 13 NCAA All-Americans.
Most recently, Lyst has spent three years as the girls' team coach at Centre Elite Gymnastics in State College, Pennsylvania. She guided all aspects of the team, helped place athletes in collegiate programs, and guided individuals to two national qualifications as well as an individual Region 7 balance beam championship.
"I am so honored to have been selected as Brockport's next Head Women's Gymnastics coach. Thanks to the hard work of previous teams and Coach Feeney the program has had outstanding success," said Lyst. "I am excited to work with our current young women to continue that success. During the interview process the team impressed me with their engagement, their energy, and their motivation for achievement in and out of the gym. I CANNOT wait to get this year started!"
Lyst also holds a master's degree in sport management from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and she earned her bachelor's degree from Penn State University. During her undergraduate days she was the captain of the Penn State gymnastics team and helped the Nittany Lions earn fourth-place and fifth-place finishes at the NCAA Championships. As a student-athlete she was a two-time NCAA Regional balance beam champion and a Big-10 Conference balance beam champ.
"The KSSPE department, and in particular the Physical Education-Teacher Education major, is excited to welcome René Lyst as our new instructor for educational gymnastics," said Brockport KSSPE Professor & Chair Dr. Cathy Houston-Wilson. "She brings a wealth of both coaching and teaching experience that will compliment our PETE major and help to prepare our future PE teachers to teach gymnastics to their students."
Lyst takes over the Brockport gymnastics program following the retirement of long time Head Coach John Feeney this past Summer. Brockport gymnastics is one of the most storied programs in NCGA Division III history, having won two national titles and nine regional crowns. The list of accomplishments for the Golden Eagles also includes multiple all-around individual national champions and countless NCGA All-Americans. Brockport begins regular season compeititon on January 15, 2022 when the Golden Eagles host Cortland and Ithaca for a tri-match at the Brockport Gymnastics Center.
