Jen Llewellyn (formerly Jen Kesler) is in her ninth season as head coach of the Lindenwood women’s gymnastics program in 2021, and her ninth year as a member of the Lindenwood coaching staff.
Llewellyn has played the biggest role in the development of the Lindenwood gymnastics program that had its inaugural season in 2013. In her seven seasons, the program has advanced to six USA Gymnastics Women’s Collegiate National Championships, won the 2015, 2016, and 2019 USA Gymnastics Women’s Collegiate national titles, won the 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 MIC Championships, and became just the third-ever NCAA Division II program to compete in an NCAA Regional in 2019.
In 2020, Jen Llewellyn coached the Lindenwood Lions to a conference-leading ranking and the MIC regular season title, as the team finished at the 50th ranking, and the Lions held the highest-average team score of any MIC team, with 193.685 points per meet. Llewellyn also helped the Lions achieve the highest Team NQS of any MIC school, with a team score of 194.280. Against Air Force and Southeast Missouri State, Llewellyn helped coach her team to a season-high team score of 195.325. One of the highlight victories during the season under Llewellyn, was the team’s upset win over Ohio State (34th-ranked), for the first-time in Lindenwood history. Llewellyn consistently brought out the best in her student athletes, as numerous Lions secured MIC honors under her tutelage during the season, including Gayla Griswold (3x MIC Newcomer of the Week), Aleah Leman (MIC Performance of the Week), Ryan Henry (MIC Gymnast of the Week, MIC Performance of the Week, MIC Senior of the Year), Sydney Lopez (MIC Newcomer of the Week), and Kyndall Baze (MIC Performance of the Week). Courtney Mitchell and Griswold were named WCGA All-Americans during the 2020 season. Katie Bailey, Griswold, Henry, Leman, and Mitchell all secured USAG accolades under the instruction of Llewellyn.
In 2019, Lindenwood had its most successful season in program history. Lindenwood established a new conference record as it secured its fifth consecutive MIC Championship. The Lions captured their third USA Gymnastics Women's Collegiate National Championship in the last five years in Bridgeport, Conn. During the team finals, the Lions posted a 196.375, the second-highest score in program history to earn the title. Lindenwood's 49.500 during its final rotation on beam established a new program record in the event and sealed the dramatic come-from-behind victory for the Lions. Finally, Lindenwood became just the third-ever NCAA Division II program to compete in an NCAA Regional. The Lions set a new program record in 2019 with a Regional Qualifying Score (RQS) of 195.400, the highest mark in program history.
Lindenwood achieved a score above 195 seven times this season, setting a new program record. The Lions picked up two victories over teams ranked inside the top 25 in 2019. On Feb. 15, Lindenwood upended No. 23 Iowa State at the GymQuarters Invitational. Nearly one month later, the Lions took down No. 17 Missouri at the State of Missouri Meet on Mar. 10.
In all, Lindenwood boasted 18 MIC all-conference selections and 10 USAG All-Americans. Additionally, the Lions won the MIC Gymnast of the Week award six times.
In June of 2018, Llewellyn graduated as part of the 2018 NCAA Women Coaches Academy class #45 that was held in Denver, Colo. The NCAA Women Coaches Academy, hosted in partnership between the Alliance of Women Coaches and the NCAA, is a 4-day educational training available to NCAA coaches of all experience levels, and is designed for women coaches who are ready to increase their individual effectiveness by learning advanced skills and strategies that directly affect their personal and team success.
In 2017, Llewellyn led a Lindenwood team that for the first time that did not have members from its inaugural class. The program continued its success though, winning its third straight MIC Championship and advancing to the USA Gymnastics Women’s Collegiate Team Finals. Lindenwood’s regular season regional qualifying score of 194.440 was a new team record, and the Lady Lions scored over 195 four times during the season, which was also a new program standard.
At the national championship event, Lindenwood scored a season-high 195.375 in the team finals, and it placed third in the team standings. Eight gymnasts earned All-American honors in 14 events, and Kierstin Sokolowski won the individual national championship in the vault. The Lady Lions won the MIC Championship with a score of 194.675. Five gymnasts were all-conference at the event, and Sokolowski won the beam championship. Sokolowski also earned a spot in the NCAA Regional Championships, finishing 21st on the vault and 16th on the beam.
Lindenwood had another strong showing in the classroom, including two gymnasts, Hannah Rector and Aubree Horn, becoming the first Academic All-Americans in program history. Both student-athletes were on the second-team Academic All-American list. Eighteen gymnasts were MIC Scholar-Athletes and ten were USA Gymnastics Scholar-Athletes.
In 2016, Llewellyn led Lindenwood to its second straight USA Gymnastics Women’s Collegiate National Championship and MIC Championship. She played a key role in Lindenwood being the host school for the USA Gymnastics national event, and was named the MIC and USA Gymnastics Head Coach of the Year.
Lindenwood set a new school record in the team finals of the USA Gymnastics Women’s Collegiate National Championships with a mark of 195.875, and won the event by less than a tenth of a point. Ten gymnasts earned 14 All-American awards at the event, including 10 first-team honors. At the MIC Championships, the Lady Lions became the first repeat champion since 2008 as it won by over half a point. A school-record nine Lindenwood gymnasts earned all-conference honors.
In the classroom, a total of 17 gymnasts earned the conference academic award. The 2016 year also marked the first senior class to go through the program, and eight players from the inaugural team graduated.
2015 was a year of firsts for the young program, including winning the USA Gymnastics Women’s Collegiate National Championship. The Lady Lions recorded a score of 195.550 in the finals, winning the event by 0.875 over Bridgeport. Also at the USA Gymnastics event, seven Lindenwood athletes won 11 All-American honors, and Sokolowski won individual national titles in the all-around and vault events.
Lindenwood also captured its first MIC Championship in 2015 after recording a program-best score of 195.800. The Lady Lions won 15 all-conference honors at that event, including individual conference titles by Valeri Ingui (all-around) and Courtney Heise (vault and bars). That performance helped three Lady Lions earn individual spots in the NCAA Regional Championships, another first for the program. Ingui and Sokolowski were all-around competitors, and Heise competed on the bars.
Llewellyn helped Lindenwood sweep the MIC end of the season awards, including Ingui being the conference MVP and Sokolowski being the co-Newcomer of the Year. Thirteen gymnasts earned the MIC academic award and the USA Gymnastics Scholar-Athlete award, and Ingui was a CoSIDA Academic All-District selection.
Llewellyn was named both the MIC and the USA Gymnastics Women’s Collegiate Head Coach of the Year after the team’s successful 2015 season.
In just its second year as a program, Llewellyn led the team to a berth in the 2014 USA Gymnastics Women’s Collegiate National Championships. Lindenwood finished third in its semifinals session and just missed advancing to the team finals.
Lindenwood won six All-American awards at the USA Gymnastics Women’s Collegiate National Championships in 2014, led by two first-team honors by Rachel Zabawa in the vault and floor. Ajiea Hargave was a first-team All-American on the floor, Courtney Heise was first-team on the bars, Emily Turik earned first-team on the bars, Valeri Ingui was first-team on the beam, and Alicia Floyd was a second-team honoree on the beam.
The Lady Lions showed huge improvement throughout its second season of competition. Lindenwood finished third at the MIC Championships and recorded a school-record mark of 194.450 in a dual meet at Illinois. Lindenwood won the first three dual meets in program history and also took first place at the Lindenwood Quad Meet. The Lady Lions broke every individual and team school record except for one during the season, including having six of the best seven team scores in program history.
In her first year at Lindenwood, Llewellyn helped the Lady Lions qualify six gymnasts for the 2013 USA Gymnastics Women’s Collegiate National Championships. Two of them reached the individual finals, and Rachel Zabawa won a national championship on the beam. Lindenwood finished fifth at the MIC Championships after setting a then program record of 193.050. Three members of the squad earned all-conference honors at the MIC Championships.
Llewellyn spent her first season after graduation as a student assistant at Oregon State and assisted the team on the uneven bars. She helped Olivia Vivian earn first-team all-PAC-12 honors on the bars and the Beavers’ lineup finished seventh in the nation in that event. In the final national rankings, three Oregon State gymnastics placed in the top-20 on the uneven bars, including Vivian who tied for ninth. The Beavers finished third at the Pac-12 Championships, second at their NCAA Regional Championships, and 12th at the NCAA Championships.
Llewellyn was a four-year member of the Oregon State gymnastics team, specializing on the uneven bars and balanced beam. As a senior, she advanced to the finals at the NCAA Championships in the bars. She scored a 9.8750 in the finals, which placed her second in the nation and earned her first-team All-American honors. Llewellyn also earned second-team all-conference honors in the uneven bars and balance beam.
Llewellyn earned second-team All-American honors in the uneven bars during her freshman and sophomore seasons. In 2009, she was the Pac-10 co-champion in the event and a first-team all- conference honoree. In 2008, she won the NCAA West Regional uneven bars championships after scoring a career-high 9.95. That year, Llewellyn was named the Female Newcomer of the Year at Oregon State.
Llewellyn is originally from Kenmore, Wash. She attended Inglemoor High School and competed for the Gymnastics East club. She is a five-time Level 10 national champion as she earned the all-around titles and vault titles in 2006 and 2007, and won the uneven bars in 2007.
Llewellyn graduated in 2012 from Oregon State with a degree in merchandising management, and earned her master's degree in communications with an emphasis in promotions at Lindenwood.
Jen was married to Cody Llewellyn, a member of the Lindenwood gymnastics coaching staff, in the summer of 2017.
Llewellyn's Career Head Coaching Record
| Year |
Record |
MIC Finish |
USA Gymnastics Finish |
| 2013 |
|
5th |
DNQ |
| 2014 |
12-14 |
3rd |
Semifinalist |
| 2015 |
17-11 |
1st |
1st |
| 2016 |
18-14 |
1st |
1st |
| 2017 |
22-11 |
1st |
3rd |
| 2018 |
|
1st |
2nd |
| 2019 |
|
T-1st |
1st |
| 2020 |
|
1st |
|
