Central Michigan University Athletics
Gymnastics
Christine MacDonald
- Title:
- Head Coach
- E-Mail Address:
- macdo1cn@cmich.edu
- Phone:
- (989) 774-2029
- Year at CMU:
- 7th year as Head Coach
- Alma Mater/Year:
- Central Michigan/1992
Former Central Michigan gymnast and longtime assistant coach Christine MacDonald is in her seventh season as the Chippewas’ head coach in 2025-26. MacDonald, who was named the Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year in 2026 and 2022, has guided Central Michigan to four MAC Championships titles in the last five seasons (2022, 2023, 2025, 2026) and two regular-season titles (2022, 2026).
In 2025, MacDonald led the Chippewas to the MAC Championships title in their home gym, McGuirk Arena, in Mount Pleasant, Mich. Senior Hannah Appleget won the all-around and junior Luciana Alvarado-Reid won the floor exercise, earning the MAC Gymnast of the Year Award.
Five Chippewas, Hannah Appleget, Alvarado-Reid, Lia Kmieciak, Zoie Pelfrey, and Zoë Zimmerman, were named to the MAC All-Tournament Team. In addition, Alvarado-Reid competed in the all-around in the NCAA Regional in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
In 2024, three MacDonald protégés, Alvarado-Reid, Elizabeth Cesarone and Hallie Hornbacher, earned medals at the MAC Championships and then went on to compete as individuals at the NCAA Regional in Fayetteville, Ark. Alvarado-Reid capped her sophomore season with a MAC title on bars and a berth on the all-tournament team along with Second Team All-MAC honors; Cesarone won a bronze medal on vault at the MAC Championships, and Hornbacher won the individual MAC crown on floor.
In 2023, MacDonald guided CMU to a first-place finish at the MAC Championships as Hannah DeMers won three individual titles and earned the league’s Senior Gymnast of the Year Award and Alvarado-Reid captured the Freshman of the Year Award. DeMers (all-around) and senior Taylor Pitchell (floor) both earned a berth in the NCAA Regional and DeMers became the first gymnast in the long and storied history of CMU gymnastics to earn four consecutive All-MAC regular-season honors.
In 2022, MacDonald led the Chippewas to both MAC Championships and the league regular-season title. It marked the first time the Chippewas had swept the titles since 2018 and they finished the season with a flurry, scoring 196.125 or better in five of their final six meets.
MacDonald coached DeMers to the 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, Morgan 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.
In MacDonald’s second year as coach in 2021, she led the Chippewas to a season-ending No. 25 national ranking and their 12th 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 Chippewas 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 38th nationally.
Denelle Pedrick, a standout in her four years at CMU, ranked 18th nationally in the all-around and ranked in the top 50 nationally on vault, bars and floor exercise. She was 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, 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 21 MAC Championships title and earned 19 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. Chippewa gymnasts hold every MAC team and individual record for beam, vault, bars and floor– all of which has been achieved with MacDonald in the program.
In 2003, MacDonald was named NCAA Central Regional Assistant Coach of the Year. She 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
2026 MAC regular-season and Championships winners … 2025 and 2023 MAC Championships title … 2022 MAC regular-season and Championships 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 (1988-91) … Helped guide CMU to three conference championship teams as a gymnast.
YEAR-BY-YEAR AS A HEAD COACH WITH CHRISTINE MACDONALD
*includes MAC Championship record
In 2025, MacDonald led the Chippewas to the MAC Championships title in their home gym, McGuirk Arena, in Mount Pleasant, Mich. Senior Hannah Appleget won the all-around and junior Luciana Alvarado-Reid won the floor exercise, earning the MAC Gymnast of the Year Award.
Five Chippewas, Hannah Appleget, Alvarado-Reid, Lia Kmieciak, Zoie Pelfrey, and Zoë Zimmerman, were named to the MAC All-Tournament Team. In addition, Alvarado-Reid competed in the all-around in the NCAA Regional in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
In 2024, three MacDonald protégés, Alvarado-Reid, Elizabeth Cesarone and Hallie Hornbacher, earned medals at the MAC Championships and then went on to compete as individuals at the NCAA Regional in Fayetteville, Ark. Alvarado-Reid capped her sophomore season with a MAC title on bars and a berth on the all-tournament team along with Second Team All-MAC honors; Cesarone won a bronze medal on vault at the MAC Championships, and Hornbacher won the individual MAC crown on floor.
In 2023, MacDonald guided CMU to a first-place finish at the MAC Championships as Hannah DeMers won three individual titles and earned the league’s Senior Gymnast of the Year Award and Alvarado-Reid captured the Freshman of the Year Award. DeMers (all-around) and senior Taylor Pitchell (floor) both earned a berth in the NCAA Regional and DeMers became the first gymnast in the long and storied history of CMU gymnastics to earn four consecutive All-MAC regular-season honors.
In 2022, MacDonald led the Chippewas to both MAC Championships and the league regular-season title. It marked the first time the Chippewas had swept the titles since 2018 and they finished the season with a flurry, scoring 196.125 or better in five of their final six meets.
MacDonald coached DeMers to the 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, Morgan 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.
In MacDonald’s second year as coach in 2021, she led the Chippewas to a season-ending No. 25 national ranking and their 12th 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 Chippewas 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 38th nationally.
Denelle Pedrick, a standout in her four years at CMU, ranked 18th nationally in the all-around and ranked in the top 50 nationally on vault, bars and floor exercise. She was 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, 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 21 MAC Championships title and earned 19 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. Chippewa gymnasts hold every MAC team and individual record for beam, vault, bars and floor– all of which has been achieved with MacDonald in the program.
In 2003, MacDonald was named NCAA Central Regional Assistant Coach of the Year. She 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
2026 MAC regular-season and Championships winners … 2025 and 2023 MAC Championships title … 2022 MAC regular-season and Championships 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 (1988-91) … 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 | 6-8 | 3-2 | T-3rd place | 2nd place, 5-1 | --- |
| 2021 | 12-9 | 3-3 | T-4th place | 4th place, 3-3 | 4th place-team-NCAA Regional |
| 2022 | 14-10 | 5-1 | T-1st place | 1st place, 6-0 | 3 gymnasts advance to NCAA Regional |
| 2023 | 13-4 | 4-2 | T-3rd place | 1st 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 |
| 2025 | 20-3 | 5-1 | 2nd place | 1st place, 6-0 | 1 gymnast advance to NCAA Regional |
| 2026 | 19-2 | 6-0 | 1st place | 1st place, 6-0 | |
| Career | 95-44 | 30-11 | 2 titles | 4 titles | 6 total MAC titles |
*includes MAC Championship record
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Tuesday, March 17
Gymnastics vs Ball State
Friday, March 13
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Sunday, January 25
