SUU gymnastics coach won't leave for USU job

Southern Utah University gymnastics coach Scott Bauman said Wednesday he decided to remain with the Thunderbirds rather than accepting the Utah State head-coaching position for which he interviewed on Monday.

But Utah State athletic director Scott Barnes said Thursday he is still hoping to have the first coaching hire of his career with the Aggies soon.

"In the next couple weeks if not sooner," he said. "I think within the next week or two we should have things wrapped up."

Barnes said he doesn't look at his initial coaching hire in Logan as being any kind of a benchmark decision, but, "It's certainly an important position, and we're looking forward to making a good hire and doing that very soon."

Ray Corn, the only gymnastics coach in Aggie history, stepped down after 31 years on May 30 due to health concerns.

Bauman, a former Aggie assistant who has been the head man at SUU for 17 years, was torn over the decision.

"It was extraordinarily hard to pass up," he said.

Both Bauman and his wife Stephanie are USU alums, but he finally decided against uprooting his family.

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