Gymnastics
Carey, Wendy
Wendy Carey
- Title:
- Graduate Assistant
- Email:
- wendy.carey@bsu.edu
Wendy Carey, who has helped mentor her student-athletes to 25 All-America honors and a pair of individual national championships, enters her first season as a graduate assistant coach for the Ball State gymnastics program in 2024.
“We are thrilled to welcome Wendy to our coaching staff,” head coach Joanna Saleem said. “Her extensive background in judging and collegiate coaching significantly enhances our program. Wendy is not only hardworking and dedicated, but also a fun and inspiring addition to our team. We look forward to the positive impact she will have on our student-athletes and the overall success of our program.”
Carey joins the Ball State staff after spending the 2024 campaign at Talladega College, where she helped mentor four student-athletes to five All-American honors at the USA Gymnastics (USAG) National Collegiate Championships. The Tornados’ first and only season was highlighted by freshman Kyrstin Johnson whose score of 9.875 was strong enough to win the national title on vault at the meet.
In doing so, Johnson became the first gymnast to earn a national championship while attending a historical black college or university (HBCU) in the state of Alabama. In addition, Carey helped Talladega become the first HBCU program to win an NCAA-sanctioned gymnastics meet when it topped both host Centenary College and Alaska Anchorage in the Sylvia Keiter Meet on Feb. 9, 2024.
“I believe everything happens for a reason and when one door closes another opens,” Carey said. “When Talladega regrettably discontinued its gymnastics program after one season, I began looking for my next step. I had been considering returning to college to earn my doctorate for a while, so when Ball State had a position open, I jumped at the chance to continue coaching the sport I love and further my academic pursuits.”
One season earlier, Carey served as an assistant coach at Wisconsin-Oshkosh, where she helped lead the Titans to their second consecutive team national title at the National Collegiate Gymnastics Association Championships. UW-Oshkosh, which also captured the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) with Carey’s help, saw five student-athletes earn a total of six NCGA All-American honors and eight earn WIAC all-conference accolades.
“After a few conversations with Head Coach Joanna Saleem, I knew Ball State was the place for me,” Carey added. “I am so thankful to have been granted this opportunity, and I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the gymnastics staff and coaching the Cardinals since arriving in Muncie. I am excited to take on this upcoming season with this amazing group! Chirp Chirp!”
Carey started her collegiate coaching career at Centenary College of Louisiana, spending two seasons (2021-2022) helping The Ladies’ student-athletes earn seven USAG All-American honors. During the 2021 season, she helped Taylor Ann Wilson become the first gymnast in program history to win an individual title at the USAG National Championships in its Division III era (2012-present). Wilson claimed the title on bars, posting a career-best mark of 9.875, to earn one of the program’s five All-America accolades at the meet.
The following season, Centenary sent five student-athletes to the USAG Collegiate National Championships, with two earning All-American honors.
In addition to her coaching background, Carey is an active judging member of the nationally recognized National Association for Women's Gymnastics Judges organization.
Carey, who is pursuing her doctorate at Ball State, graduated from Texas Tech University in 2019 and received a master's degree from Texas Woman's University in 2021, with degrees in Kinesiology.
Carey was a gymnast for the club team at Texas Tech University from 2016-19.
“We are thrilled to welcome Wendy to our coaching staff,” head coach Joanna Saleem said. “Her extensive background in judging and collegiate coaching significantly enhances our program. Wendy is not only hardworking and dedicated, but also a fun and inspiring addition to our team. We look forward to the positive impact she will have on our student-athletes and the overall success of our program.”
Carey joins the Ball State staff after spending the 2024 campaign at Talladega College, where she helped mentor four student-athletes to five All-American honors at the USA Gymnastics (USAG) National Collegiate Championships. The Tornados’ first and only season was highlighted by freshman Kyrstin Johnson whose score of 9.875 was strong enough to win the national title on vault at the meet.
In doing so, Johnson became the first gymnast to earn a national championship while attending a historical black college or university (HBCU) in the state of Alabama. In addition, Carey helped Talladega become the first HBCU program to win an NCAA-sanctioned gymnastics meet when it topped both host Centenary College and Alaska Anchorage in the Sylvia Keiter Meet on Feb. 9, 2024.
“I believe everything happens for a reason and when one door closes another opens,” Carey said. “When Talladega regrettably discontinued its gymnastics program after one season, I began looking for my next step. I had been considering returning to college to earn my doctorate for a while, so when Ball State had a position open, I jumped at the chance to continue coaching the sport I love and further my academic pursuits.”
One season earlier, Carey served as an assistant coach at Wisconsin-Oshkosh, where she helped lead the Titans to their second consecutive team national title at the National Collegiate Gymnastics Association Championships. UW-Oshkosh, which also captured the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) with Carey’s help, saw five student-athletes earn a total of six NCGA All-American honors and eight earn WIAC all-conference accolades.
“After a few conversations with Head Coach Joanna Saleem, I knew Ball State was the place for me,” Carey added. “I am so thankful to have been granted this opportunity, and I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the gymnastics staff and coaching the Cardinals since arriving in Muncie. I am excited to take on this upcoming season with this amazing group! Chirp Chirp!”
Carey started her collegiate coaching career at Centenary College of Louisiana, spending two seasons (2021-2022) helping The Ladies’ student-athletes earn seven USAG All-American honors. During the 2021 season, she helped Taylor Ann Wilson become the first gymnast in program history to win an individual title at the USAG National Championships in its Division III era (2012-present). Wilson claimed the title on bars, posting a career-best mark of 9.875, to earn one of the program’s five All-America accolades at the meet.
The following season, Centenary sent five student-athletes to the USAG Collegiate National Championships, with two earning All-American honors.
In addition to her coaching background, Carey is an active judging member of the nationally recognized National Association for Women's Gymnastics Judges organization.
Carey, who is pursuing her doctorate at Ball State, graduated from Texas Tech University in 2019 and received a master's degree from Texas Woman's University in 2021, with degrees in Kinesiology.
Carey was a gymnast for the club team at Texas Tech University from 2016-19.
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