Former Pittsburgh assistant coach Jessica Bartgis is in her second year as an assistant coach at Iowa State. The Frederick, Md., native is the Cyclones’ primary beam coach and assists with all facets of the program while also serving as the team director and head coach of Cardinal Gymnastics Academy.
In her first year at Iowa State Bartgis’ beam squad was ranked as high as No. 8 nationally and Ashley Kent was the ninth-ranked beam worker in the country for a period of time. Kent went on to place sixth and seventh at the Big 12 Championship and NCAA West Regional, respectively. Bartgis’ first season also saw the Cyclones earn their highest team score (196.225) and team national ranking (No. 13) since 2007.
Bartgis joined Iowa State after a three-year (2006-09) stint at Pittsburgh where she was named the 2007 NCAA Northeast Regional Co-Assistant Coach of the Year. Bartgis focused on vault and floor at Pitt and oversaw Dani Bryan, who won the league vault crown in 2007. Bartgis had four other gymnasts earn all-league recognition on vault during her tenure at Pittsburgh. Bartgis was additionally the co-recruiting coordinator for the Panthers.
Before joining the Pittsburgh staff, Bartgis was a volunteer assistant at her alma mater, West Virginia (2005-06). In her season coaching for the Mountaineers, Bartgis saw WVU take third in the East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) and place fifth at the NCAA Southeast Regional competition.
While competing at West Virginia, Bartgis put together the third-highest all-around score (39.625) in program history. Additionally, she was a first-team All-EAGL honoree in the all-around and on bars in 2005. In 2004, Bartgis tied for the league vault crown and was a second-team all-league recipient in the all-around and vault. Bartgis is the last Mountaineer to score a 10.0, a feat she accomplished on vault in 2004. She was a three-time All-EAGL academic pick, while being a 2005 NACGC/W All-Academic selection.
Bartgis has been a club coach in both Pennsylvania and West Virginia and has camp coaching experience throughout the United States.
Bartgis earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education with an emphasis in athletic coaching education from West Virginia in 2005 and later earned her master’s degree in the same concentration in 2007. She has been a certified USAG judge since 2007.