Christine MacDonald - Gymnastics Coach - Central Michigan University Athletics

Photo by: Allissa Rusco

Christine MacDonald

Title:
Associate Head Coach
E-Mail Address:
macdo1cn@cmich.edu
Phone:
(989) 774-2029
Year at CMU:
5th year as Head Coach/30th year at CMU
Alma Mater/Year:
Central Michigan/1992
Experience:
30th year

Former Central Michigan gymnast and longtime assistant coach Christine MacDonald enters her sixth season as the Chippewas’ head coach in 2024-25. MacDonald, who was named MAC Coach of the Year in 2022, has guided Central Michigan to three Mid-American Conference titles in the last four seasons (2022 regular season, 2022 championship, 2023 championship).

In 2024, MacDonald saw three individuals, Luciana Alvarado-Reid and seniors Elizabeth Cesarone and Hallie Hornbacher, to MAC Championship medals and to compete as individuals at the NCAA Fayetteville Regional. Alvarado-Reid capped her sophomore season with a MAC Title on bars with All-Tournament honors, Second Team All-MAC honors, and was twice named MAC Gymnast of the Week. Alvarado-Reid competed in the All-Around at the NCAA Fayetteville Regional. Cesarone won a bronze medal on vault at the 2024 MAC Championships at Ball State, qualifying for the Fayetteville Regional in the event. Hornbacher won the individual MAC Title on floor, which advanced her to Regionals.

In 2023, MacDonald guided Central Michigan to back-to-back MAC championships as the Chippewas claimed their second straight title with a 196.525 score. Senior Hannah DeMers won three individual titles and was named the 2023 Senior Gymnast of the Year, while freshman Luciana Alvarado-Reid earned the Freshman of the Year award. DeMers (all-around) and senior Taylor Pitchell (floor) both advanced to NCAA Regional competition as individuals. DeMers became the first gymnast in school history to earn four consecutive All-MAC regular season honors.

In 2022, MacDonald led the Chippewas to a remarkable 2022 season as they returned to the top of the Mid-American Conference, winning both MAC team Championship and sharing the league regular season title. It was the first time the Chippewas had swept the titles since 2018 and they finished with a flurry, scoring 196.125 or better in five of their final six meets. The 196.275 they posted at the MAC Championships tied for their second-best score of the season.

CMU’s Hannah DeMers earned the MAC Gymnast of the Year Award, Sierra DeMarinis was named the co-MAC Senior Gymnast of the Year, and MacDonald captured her first MAC Coach of the Year Award. DeMers won the all around and sophomore Katie Kowalski tied for first on vault and to lead the Chippewas at the MAC Championships. DeMers, Tong and Kowalski each earned a spot on the all-tournament team.

DeMers and DeMarinis each were named to the All-MAC First Team, while Kowalski earned a berth on the second team. The trio also qualified for the NCAA Regional. DeMers became the third Chippewa in four years to earn the MAC Gymnast of the Year Award after Denelle Pedrick accomplished the feat in 2019 and then repeated in 2020.

In MacDonald’s second year as head coach in 2021, MacDonald led the Chippewas to a season-ending No. 25 national ranking and their 12^th consecutive team berth in the NCAA Regional. Two CMU individuals, DeMers and Morgan Tong, earned a trip to the NCAA Championships and both won MAC individual titles. DeMers and Kowalski were both named to the All-MAC First Team, while DeMarinis was named to the second team. The program posted a 3.718 team grade point average, the highest mark in program history, and 16 members of the team were recognized as Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association Scholastic All-Americans. Nine Chippewas earned a spot on the Academic All-MAC team for the second consecutive season.

In her first year as CMU’s head coach in 2020, MacDonald led the Chippewas to another solid campaign as they finished 5-5 in duals including a 3-2 mark in MAC duals. The Chippewas displayed consistent improvement throughout the season, recording a season-best 196.075 score in a victory over rival Western Michigan. The Chippewas finished the shortened season with a 195.173 average, ranking first among MAC programs and 38^th nationally.

Pedrick, a standout in her four years at CMU, ranked 18^th nationally in the all-around. She ranked in the top 50 nationally on vault, uneven parallel bars and floor exercise, and was either No. 1 or shared the top spot in the MAC on vault, bars and floor.

MacDonald served as an assistant in the program for 25 years, helping build the Chippewas into the preeminent program in the MAC Conference, and one that is also highly respected on the national front.

MacDonald was a Chippewa student-athlete from 1988-91 and then served as student coach in 1992. During her time in the program as both a gymnast and as a coach, the Chippewas have captured 18 MAC Championships and earned 17 NCAA Regional berths.

In 2006, MacDonald was promoted to associate head coach and played a critical role in developing the core values that embody CMU gymnastics.

MacDonald has coached 71 individual conference champions during her time at CMU. Her resumé includes nine regional champions, nine MAC Senior Gymnast of the Year winners, eight MAC Freshman of the Year winners, seven MAC Gymnast of the Year honorees, and one MAC Specialist of the Year.

Chippewa gymnasts hold every MAC team and individual record for balance beam, vault, parallel bars and floor exercise – all of which has been achieved with MacDonald in the program.

In 2003, MacDonald was named NCAA Central Regional Assistant Coach of the Year.

MacDonald and her husband Keith have three children and reside in Mount Pleasant.

THE MACDONALD FILE

Date announced as CMU Head Coach: May 16, 2019

Education
Bachelor of Arts, Interpersonal and Public Communication, Central Michigan University,

Coaching Career
Head Gymnastics Coach, Central Michigan University, 2019-current
Associate Head Gymnastics Coach, Central Michigan University, 2006-19
Assistant Gymnastics Coach, Central Michigan University, 1993-06
Student Assistant Coach, Central Michigan University, 1992

Championships/Honors/Awards
2023 MAC Championship title … 2022 MAC regular season and Championship winners … 2022 MAC Coach of the Year … Named the NCAA Regional Assistant Coach of the Year in 2003.

Gymnastics Career
Earned four letters at Central Michigan (1988-92) … Helped guide CMU to three conference championship teams as a gymnast.

YEAR-BY-YEAR AS A HEAD COACH WITH CHRISTINE MACDONALD

Year	*Overall	*Conf.	RS Place	Champ. Place	Notes
2020	5-5	3-2	T-3^rd place	2^nd place, 5-1	---
2021	12-9	9-6	T-4^th place	--	4^th place-team-NCAA Regional
2022	14-10	11-3	T-1^st place	1^st place, 6-0	3 gymnasts advance to NCAA Regional
2023	13-4	10-2	T-3rd place	1^st place, 6-0	2 gymnasts advance to NCAA Regional
2024	11-8	4-2	4th place	4th place, 3-3	3 gymnasts advance to NCAA Regional
Career	44-28	33-13	1 title	2 titles	3 total MAC titles