NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State gymnastics program has found its new head coach, as Illinois State Director of Athletics Dr. Jeri Beggs has announced the hiring of former Ball State assistant coach Cassandra Ringer as the team's mentor. Ringer replaces Bob Conkling, who retired after the 2025 season following 20 years at the helm of the program.

"We are excited to welcome Cass back to Illinois State and look forward to her leadership of the Redbird Gymnastics program," Beggs said. "Cass brings a wealth of experience, passion and enthusiasm with her from Ball State and we look forward to seeing how she puts her mark on this program. Having worked here previously, Cass knows the history and tradition of Redbird Gymnastics and she wants to ensure it remains a nationally recognized program that competes for championships and postseason opportunities. We are thrilled to have Cass back and know she will be a great asset to our department."

Ringer comes to Illinois State after serving as an assistant coach at Ball State since 2018. Prior to that, she served as the Illinois State graduate assistant coach and choreographer during the 2017-18 season.

"I am beyond thrilled and extremely grateful to join the Redbird family," Ringer stated. "I would like to thank Dr. Jeri Beggs, Cindy Harris, and the entire athletics staff for this amazing opportunity to lead the Illinois State Gymnastics program. I truly believe the opportunities at Illinois State are limitless and I look forward to building on the strong foundation established by past and present Redbirds."

The 2023 Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association (WCGA) Regional Co-Assistant Coach of the Year, Ringer concluded her seventh season as an assistant coach for the Ball State gymnastics program in 2025. Her expertise helped guide the Cardinals to a pair of Mid-American Conference regular season titles (2023 and 2024), as well as a pair of team berths into the NCAA Regionals (2023 and 2024). Since Ringer joined the staff at Ball State, the program posted an 83-48-1 (.633) dual record, including double-digit wins in six of her seven seasons in Muncie. In MAC competition, the Cardinals were 27-14 (.659) over that same span and finished second at the MAC Championships in both 2023 and 2024.

During her time on staff, the Cardinals also produced the 32 highest team scores in program history, highlighted by a program-record mark of 198.025 at the 2024 Tennessee Collegiate Classic. The effort at the Farm Bureau Expo Center, which included 22 scores of 9.800-or-higher, is also the MAC team score record in the current seven-team era. Ball State's primary coach and choreographer for floor exercise, Ringer also helped the Cardinals register seven of the 11 highest team floor scores in program history.
 
Among those scores was a 9.950 from Suki Pfister which marked the second straight season Ringer helped the first all-American in program history tied the program's individual floor record. Overall, Ringer helped BSU's gymnasts record two of the program's eight all-time floor scores of 9.950, along with 18 of 27 all-time floor scores of 9.925 and 36 of 55 all-time floor scores of 9.900. Ringer's student-athletes have carried over their success into other apparatus as well, helping establish the top 11 all-around scores in program history. Zoe Middleton leads the way with her program record all-around effort of 39.750, which included one of her six career scores of 9.925 on floor. In addition, both Middleton and Pfister were crowned MAC Co-Floor Champions during the 2024 season with scores of 9.900 at the league championships.
 
Ringer arrived at Ball State from Illinois State where she served as the graduate assistant coach and choreographer. During her time as a Redbird, she instructed training sessions and developed training plans, served as the primary coach of floor exercise, choreographed floor and balance beam routines, facilitated team building activities, and increased fan and alumni engagement. Prior to her time at Illinois State, Ringer was a volunteer assistant coach at West Chester University of Pennsylvania for two years and spent time at Gymnastics Etc., Arcadia Gymnastics, Woodward Camp and the AJS Pancott Gymnastics National Training Center.

She graduated cum laude in May 2015 with her bachelor's degree in nutrition and dietetics from West Chester. While competing for the Golden Rams, she was a United States of America Gymnastics (USAG) Scholar Athlete, Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Academic Honor Roll member and an academic all-conference honoree. Ringer also has a master's degree in public administration with graduate certificates in sport management, administration and human resources management from West Chester.

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