Wendy Carey

Biography

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