Oregon State University - Gymnastics
Oregon State Gymnastics Camps

Head Coach Tanya Chaplin

Tanya Chaplin, entering her 11th year at the helm of the Oregon State gymnastics program, has continued to keep the Beavers among the top gymnastics programs in the nation. In 2007, Chaplin led OSU to its fifth trip to the NCAA Championships under her rein. While under her direction, 10 OSU gymnasts have earned 13 All-America honors and seven gymnasts have combined for nine Pac-10 titles. In addition, OSU gymnasts have earned 52 scholastic All-America honors.

The 2007 campaign was one of the best that OSU has had during Chaplin’s tenure. The Beavers qualified for the NCAA Championships for the second straight year and ranked as high as No. 8 in the nation. Three gymnasts — Tasha Smith, Mandi Rodriguez and Jami Lanz — earned All-Pac-10 and All-American honors. OSU upset then-No. 7 UCLA and scored its first 197-point team score for the first time since 2004.

In 2006, the Beavers finished third at the Pac-10 Championships fueled by Smith claiming titles on vault and floor. OSU, which held the third seed at the NCAA West Regional, went on to beat Stanford, the Pac-10 Champions, on the Cardinal’s home floor earning the right to compete one more time at Gill Coliseum for the NCAA Championships. The Beavers finished 11th overall with Smith (vault) and Chrissy Lamun (beam) earning All-America honors.

The 2005 team enjoyed a solid season ranking among the top 12 in the nation throughout most of the season, but a the Beavers narrowly missed a trip to the NCAA Championships. Along the way, Chaplin earned Pac-10 Coach of the Year award for the second time in her career.

In 2004, the Beavers set school records for team score (197.675), team road score (197.450), beam score (49.600), and floor score (49.700). What’s even more impressive is that these records were set in a year that saw the team lose four key gymnasts to season-ending injuries before the first month of the season was over.

In 2003, the Beavers were ranked among the top 12 teams in the nation for most of the year, defeating three teams ranked in the top six during regular season competition. Two gymnasts won Pacific-10 Championships, increasing the number of Pac-10 champions during Chaplin’s tenure to seven.

The 2002 OSU squad qualified for the NCAA Championships in dramatic fashion, when OSU trailed second-place Oklahoma by .400 heading into the final rotation. Chaplin’s floor team responded with a school-record 49.625 to move into the second spot and earn the trip to nationals for the third consecutive season.

Her 2001 team began the season with an attainable goal of an appearance in the Super Six. However, less than a month into the season, the Beavers had lost two all-arounders (including an All-American) to season-ending injuries and had two other gymnasts suffer injuries that would limit their participation. Despite the adversity, Chaplin kept her team motivated and focused to compete and returned to the NCAA Championships.

In 2000, she guided the Beavers to a second-place finish at the Pac-10 and NCAA Region 1 Championships to earn a berth in the NCAA Championships for the first time as a head coach.

In 1999, just her second year as a head coach, Chaplin was named Pacific-10 Coach of the Year in a vote by the conference coaches. The Beavers finished second at the Pac-10 Championships, where OSU set a then-school record score of 197.400 and had individual champions on all four events.

The Beavers were undefeated at home in Gill Coliseum in 1998, Chaplin’s year with the OSU program.

In 10 years as head coach, Chaplin’s career record stands at 144-84-1 in the regular season and 180-124-1 overall.

Prior to moving to Corvallis, Chaplin served as the top assistant coach with the University of Washington gymnastics program for seven years. During that time, the Huskies emerged as one of the top programs in the nation. In 1997, the Huskies placed second at the NCAA West Regional and qualified for the NCAA Championships for the second time in four years.

Chaplin, formerly Tanya Service, went to Washington from her alma mater, UCLA, where she was an assistant coach and standout gymnast.

During her athletic career at UCLA, Chaplin held six school records and received six All-America honors. She was named Pac-10 Gymnast of the Year and UCLA all-university Athlete of the Year in 1987 and 1989.

In addition to her success as a gymnast for the Bruins, Chaplin was a three-time member of the U.S. national Team. She competed at the 1983 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, where she was a finalist in the all-around competition. She also won a silver medal on floor exercise at the 1987 Olympic Festival and competed in the 1984 Olympic Trials.

Chaplin also served as chair of the USA Gymnastics Athletes Advisory Council from 1996 to 1998, and she spend nine years serving as an athlete representative, working with USA Gymnastics and serving as a voice for the athletes at the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games.

Chaplin, a native of St. Charles, Mo., graduated from UCLA in 1990 with a degree in political science. Her husband, Michael, is also in his 11th season at OSU. The Chaplin’s have one daughter, Alana, who was born two days before an OSU/Washington dual meet in January, 1996.