Retirement Annoucement - 4/28/92
During her 13-year stay at the University of Florida, Ernestine Weaver built the Gator gymnastics team into a model program. Season after season, the University of Florida gymnastics team ranked among the nation’s elite under Weaver.
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Since arriving in Gainesville in 1979, Weaver led the Gator gymnasts to one national championship, nine-straight NCAA appearances, four NCAA Regional titles, one AIAW Regional victory and five Southeastern Conference titles.
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Weaver arrived at UF in 1979. Her Gators won their only national championship in 1982, which earned Weaver the 1982 National Coach of the Year Award. With the Gators’ national title, Weaver became the only coach to have led teams from two different regions to national championships. She collected her third national coach of the year honor (two at Florida, one at Clarion State) by claiming the 1992 National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches (NACGC) award.
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Florida won five SEC and four NCAA Southeast Region Championships titles under Weaver. After Florida earned its SEC title in1989, Weaver was named SEC Coach of the Year. She also earned SEC Coach of the Year honors in 1992. Florida recorded its highest NCAA Championships finish in 1985, placing third in the competition. UF qualified for every possible NCAA Championships under Weaver. In her 19-year coaching career, Weaver athletes won 10 national titles and reached All-America status 94 times.
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Clarion State was the site of the start of Weaver’s collegiate coaching career. Clarion State compiled a perfect 58-0 regular-season record during Weaver’s seven-year stay, which includes several national and international coaching assignments. She was named assistant coach to the U.S.’ 1976 Olympic team and head coach for the 1977 World University Games.
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One of the most distinguished honors of Weaver's coaching career is her selection as head coach of the 1980 U.S. Olympic team. She is a member of the Canadian Hall of Fame, Florida Gymnastics Hall of Fame and was inducted into the United States Gymnastics Federation Helm's Hall of Fame in 1986. Weaver has written two books and several articles on the subject and holds a judging rating of Brevet, the highest certificate in the world.
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Weaver was the head coach for the U.S. team at the 1985 World University Games in Kobe, Japan. In 1986, Weaver received the Florida Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports Leadership Award for her efforts in promoting fitness for the citizens of the state of Florida. In 1989, she was inducted as a charter member of the Clarion State Hall of Fame.
She joined the Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as an honorary letterwinner in 2012.
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Coaching is not the only aspect of gymnastics that Weaver has conquered. Her competitive career includes two Olympic performances, nine Canadian Championships, three American Championships and five gold medals at the Pan American Games. She also was a three-time recipient of the Velma Springstean Trophy, awarded annually to Canada's most outstanding female athlete.
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Weaver received her physical education degree from Michigan State in 1960. She coached MSU's club team from 1965-67 before moving on to Clarion State.Â
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The Weaver Slate:
Date of Birth: June 10, 1938
Alma mater: Michigan State
Coaching Accolades
- 1992 National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches (NACGC) Coach of the Year
- 1989 and 1992 Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year
- 1982 AIAW Coach of the Year
- 1980 U.S. Olympic Head Coach
- 1978 U.S. World Championships Head Coach
- 1977 AIAW Coach of the Year
- 1985 & 1977 U.S World University Games Head Coach
- 1976 U.S. Olympic Assistant Coach
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Team Honors
- 11-straight NCAA Championships team appearances (Florida)
- 5 NCAA Southeast Region team titles (Florida)
- 5 Southeastern Conference team titles (Florida)
- 1982 AIAW National Champions (Florida)
- 1976 & 1977 AIAW National Champions (Clarion State)
- 4 AIAW Regional team titles (Clarion State)
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| Ernestine Weaver's Collegiate Coaching Record |
|
|
Reg.Season |
NCAA |
AIAW |
NCAA |
AIAW |
SEC |
| Year |
School |
W/L |
Champ. |
Champ. |
Regls. |
Regls. |
Champ. |
| 1970-71 |
Clarion State |
7-0 |
|
9th |
|
3rd |
|
| 1971-72 |
Clarion State |
7-0 |
|
6th |
|
3rd |
|
| 1974-75 |
Clarion State |
6-0 |
|
9th |
|
3rd |
|
| 1975-76 |
Clarion State |
8-0 |
|
1st |
|
1st |
|
| 1976-77 |
Clarion State |
12-0 |
|
1st |
|
1st |
|
| 1977-78 |
Clarion State |
8-0 |
|
4th |
|
2nd |
|
| 1978-79 |
Clarion State |
10-0 |
|
3rd |
|
2nd |
|
| 1979-80 |
Florida |
5-1 |
-- |
12th |
-- |
1st |
-- |
| 1980-81 |
Florida |
13-2 |
-- |
6th |
-- |
1st |
2nd |
| 1981-82 |
Florida |
13-3 |
7th |
1st |
1st |
1st |
1st |
| 1982-83 |
Florida |
17-0 |
5th |
|
2nd |
 -- |
1st |
| 1983-84 |
Florida |
17-2 |
5th |
|
1st |
 -- |
1st |
| 1984-85 |
Florida |
17-0 |
3rd |
|
1st |
 -- |
1st |
| 1985-86 |
Florida |
15-8 |
8th |
|
2nd |
 -- |
2nd |
| 1986-87 |
Florida |
17-4 |
6th |
|
1st |
 -- |
2nd |
| 1987-88 |
Florida |
15-4 |
6th |
|
2nd |
 -- |
3rd |
| 1988-89 |
Florida |
19-3 |
10th |
|
2nd |
 -- |
1st |
| 1989-90 |
Florida |
12-10 |
t10th |
|
2nd |
 -- |
5th |
| 1990-91 |
Florida |
11-6 |
6th |
|
2nd |
-- |
4th |
| 1991-92 |
Florida |
14-5 |
11th |
|
2nd |
-- |
4th |
|
TOTALS |
185-48 (Florida / 13 seasons) |
|
|
243-48 (overall/19 seasons) |
|
|
Career Winning Percentage:Â 84% |
Windsor/Essex County Sports Hall of Fame
Michigan State Hall of Fame
UF Athletic Hall of Fame
