CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) – Illinois women’s gymnastics promoted from within for its women’s gymnastics head coach opening.

The Illini opted to promoting Josh Nilson after parting ways with previous head coach Nadalie Walsh. Nilson was the associate head coach for Illinois for the 2023-24 and 2025-26 years.

He does have head coaching experience. Nilson led the Temple women’s gymnastics program for five years, helping the Owls to three conference titles.

He hopes to instill a sense of pride in his athletes and fellow coaches.

“We need to take pride in Illinois,” Nilson told WCIA. “I think that’s something that’s been missing. People are here, they love the school. But in the past, the gymnastics program has been lacking that pride in the ‘Block I.’ I mean, it starts there. They need to understand who we are. This is a storied program that has struggled a little bit in the past, but it starts there.”

He hopes to have everyone on the same page, with that goal in mind, within his team.

“Make the vision clear… Everyone on my team, everyone on my staff will all understand their role,” he said. “And that leads to success. We’re a penny stock. You want to pay attention to what’s about to happen here because we’ve got the administration backing us up. We’ve got the university backing us up. And I’ve never seen a team more excited.”

Nilson signed a five-year contract.