Snider Tabs Wellick as Pitt Gymnastics Assistant Coach
6/17/2021 2:22:00 PM | Women's Gymnastics
Former Arkansas Standout Arrives in Pittsburgh
PITTSBURGH – University of Pittsburgh gymnastics head coach Samantha Snider has added Amanda Wellick to her staff as assistant coach, announced Thursday.
"We are thrilled to add Amanda to our coaching staff," Snider said. "She has a tremendous passion for this sport and for mentoring young women. We are eager for her arrival on campus and we look forward to her contributions in continuing to build on our current success as a program."
Wellick arrives in Pittsburgh following two seasons as an assistant coach at Utah State University, where this past year she helped lead the Aggies to their first NCAA Regional Championship appearance since 2017. Utah State finished its 2021 campaign ranked No. 25 in the nation, marking the team's highest final ranking since 1999.
"I am beyond excited to join the Pittsburgh family and grateful for the opportunity to work alongside head coach Samantha [Snider] and Ryan [Snider]," Wellick said. "Samantha has been a mentor of mine through the years, and she and Ryan have both been instrumental in my career and continued passion for this sport. I am looking forward to working with the student-athletes, sharing my passion with them and continuing to grow the legacy of Pitt gymnastics."
As the team's primary vault coach and co-coach on uneven bars, Wellick guided Mickaela Meyer to 2021 co-Vault Specialist of the Year honors in the Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference (MRGC). The previous season, Wellick helped coach MRGC Gymnast of the Year Autumn DeHarde and MRGC Freshman of the Year Sofi Sullivan.
"I am so thankful for my experiences at Utah State and for the opportunity to begin my coaching career over the past few years," Wellick said.
With Wellick on staff, the Aggies produced six Top 10 team scores in program history, including the second highest ever for Utah State: a 196.800 at a Boise State quad meet in 2020.
Utah State scored 49 or better on vault in six straight meets in 2021, which set a school record. The Aggies averaged a school-record 49.005 on the event, marking the first time in school history they have ever averaged 49 or better. Utah State finished the season with a team vault National Qualifying Score (NQS) of 49.163, which tied for 21st in the nation. The Aggies notched three of their top vault scores in school history with a 49.225 (tied for third) at the Denver tri meet, and a pair of 49.175s (tied for fifth) at both BYU and Utah.
At the 2021 NCAA Regional Championships in West Valley City, the Aggies recorded their top vault score at a regional meet with a 49.075, bettering the 48.950 set at the NCAA Seattle Regional in 2017. The Aggies scored a 49.025 on bars at the meet, which is the second-best score the team has ever produced at a regional.
Prior to joining Utah State, Wellick served as a graduate assistant/manager during the 2019 campaign at her alma mater, Arkansas. She was a standout gymnast for the Razorbacks, where she was coached by Snider from 2014-17 before completing her career in 2018.
Wellick ended her stellar career by leading the Gymbacks to a 10th-place finish at the NCAA Gymnastics Championships in 2018. She recorded a 39.400 in the all-around and a 9.8875 on bars to garner second-team All-American honors – two of five All-American citations she received during her time with the Razorbacks.
The native of Wheaton, Ill., was making her first appearance at the NCAA Championships with the team in 2018, as she qualified as an individual all-arounder in 2014 and 2016. Wellick was the first Arkansas freshman all-arounder to ever make the NCAA Championships.
Wellick earned SEC Freshman of the Year honors in 2014, becoming the first Gymback to ever be named as such. She also earned all-SEC accolades a total of five times (twice on vault and once each on bars, floor and in the all-around). Over the course of her career, she earned 33 total individual titles.
In 2017, Wellick was one of six Arkansas student-athletes to be named a Red Tie Honoree, which recognizes outstanding community service and academic achievements. That same year, she received the Samantha Cortez Leadership Award (named for Samantha Snider, née Cortez). She also received Arkansas gymnastics' Most Outstanding Award in 2015 and 2016.
In the classroom, Wellick was a three-time academic All-American and two-time SEC Academic Honor Roll recipient. She graduated from Arkansas with a bachelor's degree in business administration (marketing) in 2017, then earned her master's degree in recreation and sport management in 2019.
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"We are thrilled to add Amanda to our coaching staff," Snider said. "She has a tremendous passion for this sport and for mentoring young women. We are eager for her arrival on campus and we look forward to her contributions in continuing to build on our current success as a program."
Wellick arrives in Pittsburgh following two seasons as an assistant coach at Utah State University, where this past year she helped lead the Aggies to their first NCAA Regional Championship appearance since 2017. Utah State finished its 2021 campaign ranked No. 25 in the nation, marking the team's highest final ranking since 1999.
"I am beyond excited to join the Pittsburgh family and grateful for the opportunity to work alongside head coach Samantha [Snider] and Ryan [Snider]," Wellick said. "Samantha has been a mentor of mine through the years, and she and Ryan have both been instrumental in my career and continued passion for this sport. I am looking forward to working with the student-athletes, sharing my passion with them and continuing to grow the legacy of Pitt gymnastics."
As the team's primary vault coach and co-coach on uneven bars, Wellick guided Mickaela Meyer to 2021 co-Vault Specialist of the Year honors in the Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference (MRGC). The previous season, Wellick helped coach MRGC Gymnast of the Year Autumn DeHarde and MRGC Freshman of the Year Sofi Sullivan.
"I am so thankful for my experiences at Utah State and for the opportunity to begin my coaching career over the past few years," Wellick said.
With Wellick on staff, the Aggies produced six Top 10 team scores in program history, including the second highest ever for Utah State: a 196.800 at a Boise State quad meet in 2020.
Utah State scored 49 or better on vault in six straight meets in 2021, which set a school record. The Aggies averaged a school-record 49.005 on the event, marking the first time in school history they have ever averaged 49 or better. Utah State finished the season with a team vault National Qualifying Score (NQS) of 49.163, which tied for 21st in the nation. The Aggies notched three of their top vault scores in school history with a 49.225 (tied for third) at the Denver tri meet, and a pair of 49.175s (tied for fifth) at both BYU and Utah.
At the 2021 NCAA Regional Championships in West Valley City, the Aggies recorded their top vault score at a regional meet with a 49.075, bettering the 48.950 set at the NCAA Seattle Regional in 2017. The Aggies scored a 49.025 on bars at the meet, which is the second-best score the team has ever produced at a regional.
Prior to joining Utah State, Wellick served as a graduate assistant/manager during the 2019 campaign at her alma mater, Arkansas. She was a standout gymnast for the Razorbacks, where she was coached by Snider from 2014-17 before completing her career in 2018.
Wellick ended her stellar career by leading the Gymbacks to a 10th-place finish at the NCAA Gymnastics Championships in 2018. She recorded a 39.400 in the all-around and a 9.8875 on bars to garner second-team All-American honors – two of five All-American citations she received during her time with the Razorbacks.
The native of Wheaton, Ill., was making her first appearance at the NCAA Championships with the team in 2018, as she qualified as an individual all-arounder in 2014 and 2016. Wellick was the first Arkansas freshman all-arounder to ever make the NCAA Championships.
Wellick earned SEC Freshman of the Year honors in 2014, becoming the first Gymback to ever be named as such. She also earned all-SEC accolades a total of five times (twice on vault and once each on bars, floor and in the all-around). Over the course of her career, she earned 33 total individual titles.
In 2017, Wellick was one of six Arkansas student-athletes to be named a Red Tie Honoree, which recognizes outstanding community service and academic achievements. That same year, she received the Samantha Cortez Leadership Award (named for Samantha Snider, née Cortez). She also received Arkansas gymnastics' Most Outstanding Award in 2015 and 2016.
In the classroom, Wellick was a three-time academic All-American and two-time SEC Academic Honor Roll recipient. She graduated from Arkansas with a bachelor's degree in business administration (marketing) in 2017, then earned her master's degree in recreation and sport management in 2019.
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