EAU CLAIRE, Wis. — A Wisconsin gymnastics coach is one of three people who helped select the women’s U.S. Olympic team.

What You Need To Know

  • University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire head gymnastics coach Jessie DeZiel was one of three members of the Team USA Gymnastics Athletes’ Council/Selection Committee that picked the five-women team plus two alternates, who are now competing in Paris

  • She also helped select the team for the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, which was postponed because of the pandemic

  • DeZiel has spent four years as a gymnastics coach at UW-Eau Claire. Her teams there have earned three All-Americans, produced a national champion and set many program records for competitions

  • The team includes Simone Biles, Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey and Hezly Rivera

University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire head gymnastics coach Jessie DeZiel was one of three members of the Team USA Gymnastics Athletes’ Council/Selection Committee that picked the five-women team plus two alternates, who are now competing in Paris. The team includes Simone Biles, Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey and Hezly Rivera.

Now, DeZiel is one of many watching that team as it strives for gold medals.

“I will be watching every single women’s gymnastics competition, cheering my heart out for these incredible people and athletes that have worked incredibly hard to get to where they are now,” DeZiel said in a statement. “I got up at 4:30 a.m. Sunday to watch the qualification round. They did awesome, and I am looking forward to team finals on Tuesday.”

It isn’t the first time DeZiel has had a front-row seat to the Olympics.

She also helped select the team for the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, which was postponed because of the pandemic. When it was eventually held, there were almost no spectators allowed. Of this year’s five-member team, four were at those Olympic games.

“After having to compete at the Olympics during the pandemic, it is so incredible that they will get the full Olympic experience; it is well deserved for them all,” DeZiel said in a press release.

DeZiel has spent four years as a gymnastics coach at UW-Eau Claire. Her teams there have earned three All-Americans, produced a national champion and set many program records for competitions.

But her gymnastics career didn’t start there. She was a nine-time All-American at the University of Nebraska and also earned a gold medal during the Pan American Games in 2011.

Being involved with USA Gymnastics for about five years, DeZiel said it was difficult to select a team this year.

“Selecting any team is always hard,” DeZiel said. “All these athletes work so hard for a spot, and it is absolutely heartbreaking when we only get to choose five athletes.”

UW-Eau Claire Director of Athletics Jason Verdugo said he wasn’t surprised DeZiel has become a part of this year’s selection process for the Olympics. He called her a “tremendous ambassador.”

“The quality of our coaches is undoubtedly one of our greatest strengths in our department, and Jessie certainly falls into that category,” Verdugo said in a press release.

For now, DeZiel will watch from home as she cheers on the team she helped select.

Related Stories