Jason Vonk - Gymnastics Coach - University of Georgia Athletics

Jason Vonk

Title:
Assistant Gymnastics Coach
Phone:
706-542-2185

Jason Vonk joined the Georgia GymDogs staff in June 2018 as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator.

In his fourth year with the GymDogs in 2022, Georgia’s vault lineup was consistently ranked in the Top 15 in the nation, ending the season at No. 14, but most frequently staying between 9-12.  The GymDogs posted a season-high 49.425 at Alabama.  Senior Megan Roberts peaked as the sixth best vaulter in the nation in Week Three and hovered in the Top 25 in the latter part of the season. Four gymnasts scored ten 9.900s or better, including five from Roberts.  Roberts and Rachel Baumann combined for five vault event titles, three of which were on the road.

During his third year with at Georgia, Vonk’s vault squad was consistently ranked in the Top 15 in the nation, ending the season at No. 11, but previously peaking at No. 7 in Week eight.  The GymDogs posted a season high score of 49.325 at Auburn.  Junior Megan Roberts ranked 14^th nationally after her stellar performance against Kentucky.  She posted a career-best 9.950 and earned the event title.  The GymDogs combined for four vault event titles on the season, three of which came from Roberts.  Georgia posted seven scores of 9.900 or better.

In his second year with the GymDogs, the vault squad was consistently ranked in the Top 15 in the nation, ending the season at No. 12.  After the season abruptly ended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, sophomore Rachael Lukacs was ranked as the 18^th best vaulter in the nation. Under Vonk’s direction, she scored back-to-back 9.925 to finish the season and added three more scores of 9.900.  Together, the vault lineup hit a season-high 49.375 at Kentucky. Sophomores Rachael Lukacs and Mikayla Magee combined for three vault event titles.

Vonk coached the Georgia vault lineup to a consistent No. 3 ranking throughout the 2019 season.  The squad hit a season-high mark of 49.500 in the first round of the NCAA Athens Regional.  Under Vonk’s direction, Sydney Snead was ranked as the best vaulter in the Southeastern Conference and was fifth in the nation. She was the only gymnast in the SEC ranked in the top-10 for vault and the next highest SEC vaulter was then-freshman Rachael Lukacs at No. 13.  Additionally, Snead scored a 9.900 or higher on vault in every meet of her senior campaign, hitting a career-high mark of 9.950 five times.  At the NCAA National Championship, Snead and Sabrina Vega earned second-team All-American honors for vault.

Vonk came to Georgia after serving as the assistant coach at George Washington in 2018 and previously spending six years at Yale. As the primary coach of vault and uneven bars at Yale, he played a key role in developing the program by helping the team from the bottom of the conference to winning the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference Championship in the spring of 2017 and achieving the highest team RQS in Yale's 45 year history.

At Yale, Vonk also served as the recruiting coordinator and was in charge of the logistical operations of the gymnastics program. In addition to his coaching responsibilities at Yale, he also increased his involvement at USA Gymnastics as a Regional Clinician, where he had the opportunity to coach development and high tech camps and serve as a Coaches Congress Speaker.

Prior to his tenure at Yale, Vonk served as a coach in Colorado Springs at the Stars National Gymnastics Village. At Stars, he coached an elite gymnast onto the National Training Squad and to the U.S. Classic. He also had the opportunity to coach at the National Training Center and with USA Gymnastics National Staff.

Vonk graduated from Calvin College in 2000 with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Computer Science with a minor in physical education. He and his wife, Kelly, have five sons.