One of Ohio State’s biggest decisions of the offseason has arrived at an awkward time. With the 2027 NCAA gymnastics season less than 60 days away, the Buckeyes are preparing for a new chapter after parting ways with head coach Meredith Paulicivic.
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Ohio State’s Department of Athletics announced the decision on Tuesday, November 10, describing the separation as a mutual agreement. The announcement ends Paulicivic’s nine-season tenure, which began in May 2017 and saw her guide the program to five NCAA regional finals.
The national signing period begins just a day after the announcement, leaving the program with an immediate leadership challenge at a crucial point in recruiting. For gymnasts preparing to represent Ohio State in 2027, the change comes just as preparations for the new season pick up pace.
However, the Buckeyes will not have to look far for someone to take charge. Associate head coach Randy Monahan will step in as interim head coach for the upcoming season, offering some continuity while the program navigates the transition.
Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork acknowledged that making such a decision at this stage was difficult. “Making a change of this nature is never easy at a time like this,” Bjork said. “We’re going to do everything we can to support the student-athletes, as well as Coach Monahan, throughout this transition. We wish Meredith and her family all the best.”
The university has not disclosed the reason behind the separation or clarified its plans for appointing a permanent successor. It also remains unclear how the coaching change could affect incoming recruits. Those questions will likely follow the Buckeyes into a season that now begins under different leadership.
To understand what Ohio State is losing, Paulicivic’s nine-year record tells the story.
Meredith Paulicivic’s journey from gymnast to Ohio State head coach
Paulicivic arrived in Columbus in 2017 with considerable experience at both the collegiate and club levels. A former Utah gymnast, she competed on two NCAA championship-winning teams in 1992 and 1994. She also earned three All-American honors on vault and captained the team during her senior season.
After graduating in 1994 with a degree in exercise and sport science, Paulicivic began building her coaching career. She spent time at Olympus School of Gymnastics and UC Berkeley before joining SCEGA Gymnastics in California in 1997. Over the following years, she worked as an assistant coach and floor and beam choreographer before taking over as head coach in 2007.
Her work at SCEGA helped develop six U.S. National Team members, including world bronze medalist Rachel Tidd. She also coached 31 gymnasts who went on to earn NCAA Division I scholarships. After a season as an assistant at Arizona and two seasons at Utah, Paulicivic eventually got the opportunity to lead Ohio State.
“I am thrilled to be named head coach at The Ohio State University,” she said upon her appointment in 2017. “It’s a prestigious honor to lead this program, and opportunities like this do not come around often.”
She brought that enthusiasm to Columbus, where she coached several Big Ten champions and All-Americans, including Ella Hodges, Tory Vetter and Lexi Edwards. The university also recognized her achievements in July 2024 by announcing a contract extension through the 2027 season.
Yet her final stretch at Ohio State was not without its frustrations. In January 2026, following the Buckeyes’ 195.750-194.100 victory over Rutgers, Paulicivic openly questioned the judging standards during the meet. Despite her team’s strong performances across all four apparatus, she felt several deductions were difficult to justify.
“There’s been several meets, and the deductions today are just… I can’t even explain them to my athletes,” she said, expressing frustration over inconsistencies that she believed could affect the team’s national rankings.
Her comments highlighted how seriously she took the responsibility of advocating for her gymnasts. Now, after nine seasons, that responsibility passes to Monahan.
For the Buckeyes, the immediate focus shifts to keeping the team settled, navigating the signing period and preparing for the 2027 campaign. Monahan inherits a familiar roster but also the challenge of maintaining the standards Paulicivic established.
Ohio State has yet to reveal what comes next in its search for permanent leadership. For now, one chapter closes in Columbus, while another begins much sooner than anyone in the program might have expected.