Rob Drass

	Position: Head Coach
	Experience: 9th Year
	Alma Mater: Penn State '90

When Rob Drass accepted his appointment at the University of Missouri, he was taking over a program backed by a 20-year tradition. He joined the Tiger Athletic Staff with the goals of bolstering a struggling program and raising it to a level competitive with the nation's best.

Entering his ninth year at the helm of the Mizzou Gymnastics squad, Drass is right on track.

Last season, Drass continued to rebuild a winning tradition at Mizzou. On the shoulders of NCAA National qualifier Adrienne Perry and an array of quality gymnasts, Drass's 2007 squad spent the entire season ranked in the top 20, peaking at 17th.

In a season that saw Mizzou face of against some of the nations elite, Drass led the squad to a 7-2 record, with victories over Iowa, Illinois and an upset victory of 11th ranked Michigan in Ann Arbor. The Tigers also took home third place in the Big 12 Conference, hosted in Columbia, Mo., and third at the NCAA West Regional, behind Utah and Nebraska.

Perry had another successful season under the guidance of Drass, qualifying for national competition for the second consecutive season. Perry finished 10th in the second session of the competition, and came in 22nd overall. Drass also used last season to develop the young Tiger talent in preparation for what should be another season that will see the Tigers ranked among the nations elite.

Two seasons ago, Drass and company took another step toward achieving its goals during the 2006 season. In arguably the best season in program history, Drass led the 2006 squad to a 13-8 regular season mark and a third-place finish behind eventual national champion Georgia and Nebraska at the NCAA Southeast Regional.

The squad reached new heights in the 2006 season when the Tigers ranked in the top-10 five weeks during the course of the season, including a program record of seventh on Jan. 30.

Under Drass' guidance, Perry became the seventh Tiger and only the second freshman to qualify for the NCAA National Championships as an all-around competitor in 2006.

For Drass' efforts over the course of the season, he was named the South Central Region Head Coach of the Year by the National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches/Women (NACGC/W).

After ending the 2005 regular season with a 13-7 mark, Drass guided Mizzou to a third-place finish at the NCAA South Central Regional with a 195.100, also a school record at the event. Additionally, senior Alisha Robinson earned All-America honors for the second time in her career after she finished fifth on vault at the NCAA Championships.

Going 15-3 during the 2004 regular season, the Tigers recorded the programs' top four all-time team totals and the top five event totals on all four apparatus. Overseeing the program's vault lineup, Drass coached the team to nine of Mizzou's highest scores, including a 49.375 all-time high.

Alisha Robinson and Lauren Schwartzman individually highlighted the season setting each of Mizzou's individual records on their way to claiming All-Big 12 accolades.

Robinson won the conference vault title and finished second on floor, while Schwartzman claimed the league beam title and finished second on the apparatus at the Northeast Regional. In addition, Schwartzman also became Mizzou's first athlete to score a perfect 10.000 on beam duplicating the feat against Iowa State and at the Texas Woman's Invitational.

Reinforcing Drass's influence with the Tiger program, he was honored as the 2004 South Central Regional Coach of the Year by the NACGC/W.

Mizzou's success in 2004 came on the heels of a tremendous 2003 season seeing the Tigers pick up their first Big 12 victory over Iowa State and turned in a third-place performance to earn their highest Big 12 Championship finish in history.

Lindsay Davis tied for top honors on vault at the meet. She joined Alisha Robinson and Lauren Schwartzman earning All-Big 12 first team recognition.

In addition to its Big 12 successes, Mizzou rewrote the recordbooks recording its highest marks in almost every team and individual event on its way to the NCAA South Central Regional and a 24th-place final national ranking.

Building up to their accomplishments in 2003, the Tigers ushered in a new era of Mizzou tumbling the previous season.

A young squad comprised of six freshmen, four sophomores and six juniors pulled out the most impressive season MU had seen in years.

Blazing onto the collegiate scene, the Tigers rewrote the Missouri record books setting every individual and team mark to date. Following a 8-8 regular season, Drass was honored as the Big 12 Co-Head Coach of the Year, sharing the title with Oklahoma's Steve Nuno.

Mizzou wasn't finished earning accolades however, the Tigers advanced to the 2002 NCAA North Central Regional where Mizzou just missed advancing to the NCAA finals. Overall, the Tigers earned their highest final national ranking topping in as the 17th finest team in the country.

Highlighting the season, freshman Alisha Robinson, the Big 12 Freshman of the Year, became MU's second All-America gymnast finishing seventh on the vault at the NCAA Championships to earn second team recognition.

The success of 2002 was preceded by several indispensable milestones. In just his second year leading the Tigers, Drass lead Mizzou to record three of the top-15 team scores in school history, including a program high floor exercise score at the Corvette Cup.

Three of Missouri's young athletes, Alina Hamm, Leah Gremaud and Lindsay Davis also advanced to the 2001 NCAA Region III competition.

The success experienced during the 2001 campaign came on the tails of the coach's impressive inaugural season at Mizzou. The 2000 Tigers won their second consecutive Cat Classic championship and qualified as a team to the NCAA Regionals for the first time since 1994.

Drass led the Tigers as they broke 16 school records, accumulated 22 individual titles, and were honored with three academic All-Big 12 selections in his first transitional year. Mizzou's average meet score and Regional Qualifying Score were the highest in school history. The Tigers finished the year at 8-10.

"In 2000, we made great strides in getting Missouri back into the national spotlight. These successes are the building blocks for future teams and recruiting," Drass said.

In addition to tremendous team success, Drass guided senior Shannon Brown to a chart-topping season. She wrapped up her career winning 10 individual events and setting five school records. Drass also helped senior Katie Cole to a record-setting season claiming five individual wins and a career-high 9.825 vault score.

Before taking the reigns at Missouri, Drass was the top assistant for the University of Nebraska's nationally ranked gymnastics team for eight years. He served as a graduate assistant coach from 1991-92, before being elevated as a full-time assistant in 1993.

He was the Cornhuskers' primary floor exercise coach and worked closely with Head Coach Dan Kendig in coaching uneven bars. He was named the National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches 1996 Midwest Regional Assistant Coach of the Year.

Nebraska Gymnastics enjoyed tremendous success under Drass, earning a berth at the NCAA Championships in four of five seasons, highlighted by NCAA Super Six Finals appearances in both 1997 and 1999. As an assistant, Drass helped NU claim an unprecedented six straight conference titles from 1994 to 1999.

With Drass' help, six different NU gymnasts earned All-America honors, including Heather Brink, Misty Oxford, Courtney Brown, Joy Taylor, Shelly Bartlett and Kim DeHann.

Topping his career at NU, Drass coached Brink to a spot on the U. S. team that competed at the World University Games in Spain.

Prior to his coaching days, Drass was a gymnast at Penn State from 1987 to 1990. As a Nittany Lion, Drass competed at the NCAA Championships all four years.

A seasoned gymnast who began competing at age nine, Drass began his coaching career while in college, as the assistant boys' gymnastics coach at the McCracken's Gym School in Kansas City in 1987. He served as the head boys' coach at the Nittany Gym School in Pennsylvania in the summer of 1988. Since 1989, Drass has worked at the Woodward Gymnastics Camp in Pennsylvania during the summer.

Drass graduated from Penn State with a bachelor's degree in marketing in 1990. He completed his master's degree in strategic management and long-range planning at Nebraska in May 1994.

He is married to former Husker All-American gymnast Joy Taylor, who is now a pediatrician at the University of Missouri Medical Center. Rob and Joy are the proud parents of daughter Molly and son James.

Shire, Perry to Rotate with SEC Squads

04/06/2009 - W. Gymnastics

This is senior Adrianne Perry's fourth trip to the NCAA National Championships, a school record, and the first time Missouri has sent two individuals to the competition.