Ryan Roberts named Auburn gymnastics head coach

AUBURN, Ala. (WSFA) - Auburn gymnastics has a new head coach.

Ryan Roberts, who spent the past eight seasons coaching in the Southeastern Conference, has been named head coach of the Tigers, Athletics Director John Cohen announced Tuesday.

Roberts comes to the Plains after spending the past two years as co-head coach at Georgia.

“With his demonstrated excellence in recruiting and developing high-level SEC gymnasts, Ryan Roberts is the ideal person to lead Auburn’s gymnastics program,” Cohen said. “Ryan’s professional experience makes him a great fit for Auburn. We welcome Ryan, Hanne and their family to the Plains.”

Before becoming Georgia’s co-head coach in April 2025, he spent two years as an assistant with the Bulldogs and four years at Alabama.

“I want to thank President Roberts, John Cohen and the search committee for this incredible opportunity and the trust to guide this program,” Roberts said. “My family and I are thrilled to now be a part of Auburn Family and have the chance to invest in this incredible community. I am very much looking forward to leading this team and working with these student-athletes and can’t wait to get to work. War Eagle!”

This past season, Georgia secured the No. 6 overall national seed and reached the 2026 NCAA National Championship semifinal for the first time since 2019, finishing sixth overall and marking the program’s best finish since 2016. The Bulldogs finished fifth at the 2026 SEC Championship.

Roberts went to Alabama after five years with the World Olympic Gymnastics Academy in Texas. He coached members of the United States, Russian and Ecuadorian national teams. Roberts also spent six years as head coach of the Norwegian National Team for many international competitions.

Before he began his coaching career, Roberts served as a communications officer and platoon commander in the U.S. Marine Corps. He was deployed to Iraq in 2005 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Roberts competed for two years at the University of New Mexico before finishing his career as a two-time NCAA qualifier at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2003. He also earned a master’s degree in theology from Fuller Theological Seminary in 2010.

Roberts’ hire ends the search for a new coach after former head coach Jeff Graba and Auburn mutually agreed to part ways earlier this month after 16 seasons.

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