Huskers Add Amato as Assistant Coach

Lincoln, Neb. – Nebraska women’s gymnastics Head Coach Heather Brink announced the hiring of Brian Amato on Thursday as the newest member of the Nebraska coaching staff. 
 
“Brian is going to make a definite impact on our program,” Brink said. “He brings a great deal of coaching expertise and experience that will help us to build on our past successes and help us achieve new heights. We are truly excited to have Brian join our Husker family.”
 
Amato spent the last seven seasons as an assistant coach at Oregon State. He helped lead Oregon State to a sixth-place finish at the 2019 NCAA Championships. The Beavers’ bars team was challenged with replacing half of the previous season’s lineup due to graduation and injury. Amato’s squad did not suffer a fall in the final nine meets of the season. He coached Hallie Briscoe to second team All-America honors on bars in 2019.
 
In 2018, Amato led the Beavers’ bars squad to a No. 21 ranking with a team Regional Qualifying Score (RQS) of 49.200 and a season high of 49.400. In 2017, Amato coached Kaytianna McMillan to Oregon State’s first 10.0 score on bars since 2008.
 
Amato’s uneven bars lineup in 2016 finished the season tied for 10th in the nation. McMillan earned NACGC/W Regular Season All-America first-team honors under Amato’s guidance on the bars after ending the regular season ranked No. 7 with an (RQS) of 9.925. Amato coached his first gymnast to All-America honors in 2015 when Erika Aufiero earned first-team All-America honors.
 
Prior to his time at Oregon State, Amato served as the head bars coach at Brandy Johnson’s Global Gymnastics in Clermont, Fla., since 2008. In 2013, Amato’s team won the Level 10 Florida State Championship and was voted the nation’s Level 10 Team of the Year in 2012. During his 17 years of club coaching, Amato helped 20 gymnasts earn Division I scholarships.
 
Amato is the current Vice-President of the Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association. He received his bachelor’s degree from Portland State in liberal studies with a focus on exercise physiology in the winter of 2016. Amato is currently pursuing his MBA in sports business at Saint Leo University. 
 
Amato and his wife, Tori, have two children, Alex and Brooke.
 
“I want to thank Heather and the administration for the opportunity to be a part of Nebraska gymnastics,” Amato said. “I am looking forward to being part of a great staff at a prestigious institution, but mostly importantly I’m excited about getting to meet the team and helping them achieve their goals both in the gym and beyond. Go Big Red!”
 
Brink also announced the addition of volunteer assistant coach Sophia Hyderally. Hyderally recently graduated from the University of Alaska-Anchorage with a degree in international studies and sociology. She also finished a four-year collegiate gymnastics career with the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves, where she qualified for the NCAA Regional Championships on beam in 2019 and 2020.