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Brian Amato was promoted to the Nebraska women’s gymnastics associate head coach, the team announced Wednesday.
Amato will enter his fifth season with the Huskers in 2025, after his four-year stint as an assistant coach. The Portland State graduate was hired by Nebraska in 2020, after spending seven seasons as an assistant coach at Oregon State.
“I’m grateful to Heather, the administration and our team,” Amato said. “I look forward to continuing to contribute to our vision of where the program is going and our continued success through the process.”
With Amato’s help, the Big Red’s bar squad ended the 2024 season ranked No. 20 nationally. The bars lineup scored above a 49.000 in 12 meets, including a season-high 49.425 at Maryland and at the Huskers’ quad meet against UNC, SEMO and ISU. Four NU athletes also earned career highs on bars in 2024.
In the 2024 season, the team scored a 197.000 or above in three straight meets, including a 197.375 at Arkansas on March 15, which was the 10th-highest away score in program history. Amato also helped NU post its highest season debut score since 2014 at Iowa State, and its highest home debut score since 2012 against Illinois.
Over the course of Amato’s four seasons with Nebraska, gymnasts have been named to the Big Ten conference teams nine times and NU has qualified for the second round of the NCAA Championships in the past two consecutive years and improved 15 spots in the final NCAA rankings from 2021 to 2024.
“Brian has been an integral part of our staff, providing guidance and mentorship to both staff members and student-athletes,” Head Coach Heather Brink said. “His commitment, experience and knowledge have played a pivotal role in the development and growth of the program. His passion for the sport and continuous improvement of the program will certainly help push our team to even greater heights in the upcoming seasons.”
In 2019, Amato aided the Oregon State Beavers to a sixth-place finish at the NCAA Championships.