The 2024-25 season will be Kjersten (Kj) Wheeler's second as head coach and seventh with the Blue Devil Gymnastics Team.
UW-STOUT (2019-Present)
2025: The Blue Devil gymnastics team had a historic season, sending six individuals to the NCGA National Championship meet. Set several school records and saw Jaime Beatty with the National Championship in the all-around and the uneven bars. The Blue Devils set the all-time team score record with a 191.900. While also setting a new school record on the vault with a 48.475. On the uneven bars Stout scored a 48.700, nearly a full point higher than the previous school record. Emma Brittingham led the way with a stellar 9.825, setting a new school record.
They also posted a 48.675 on the floor exercise, the second-highest score in program history. Jamie Beatty, a freshman from Prior Lake, Minn., was named WCGA Regular Season All-American. She won the all-around competition at the NCGA National Championships with a school-record score of 38.800. She also tied for first in the uneven bars with a 9.775, matching the second-highest score in program history. In addition, she recorded a personal best on the floor exercise with a 9.775 and posted a 9.675 on the balance beam. The WIAC Newcomer of the Year's season average score of 38.250 was best in the west, Beatty scored 38 or higher four times and holds the school first, third and sixth best all-around scores.
2024: In Wheeler's first season as head coach, the Blue Devils qualified for the NCGA national championships for the second straight year, placing fifth with a 191.650 (the second highest score in program history. They also set a program mark with a 48.700 on the balance beam). Four individual’s earned All-American honors, Genevieve Czaplewski tied for second in the balance beam with a personal best 9.825. Her score tied for second best score in program history. Effie Ferguson tied her personal best on the balance beam with a 9.800 to tie for fifth. She also won the WIAC title on the beam. Her score is tied for four all-time in program history, Gillian Cummins scored a 38.100 in the all-around to place fourth. Her score was ninth best all-around score in Stout history. Anna Mielke tied for fifth in the vault with a 9.750. Stout scored over 190 in five meets including three of the top-five all-time scores. Stout averaged a 191.180, the first time in program history that they averaged a score of 190 or higher. Cummins and Czaplewski were both named College Sport Communicators (CSC) Academic All-Americans.
2023: The 2023 gymnastics team finished third in the nation with a 190.275 at the national championships, the third time they scored over 190 in the season. The Blue Devils set a school record on the balance beam (38.325) at the meet. Four individuals were named NCGA All-Americans. Kiara Brown finished second in the all-around and fourth in the uneven bars. Isabela Krulich placed third in the balance beam. Anna Mielke placed fifth on the vault. Ashtyn Gagner took sixth on the beam. Brown was named WIAC Gymnast of the Year and was the WIAC’s individual champion on the uneven bars. Brown (all-around, bars) and Effie Ferguson were named All-WIAC. Earlier in the year Stout set a school mark with 191.550 at the Carolina Tri-Meet
2022: In her sixth season as a Blue Devil, super-senior Mikala Bugge closed out her career by winning an NCGA individual national championship title on the vault. Bugge closed out her career with five All-America honors. Freshman Effie Ferguson earned All-America honors by finishing second on the balance beam. Kiara Brown and Isabela Krulich advanced to the national meet for the first time. Brown and Ferguson both earned All-WIAC honors with second place finishes, Brown in the all-around and Ferguson the balance beam.
2021: the Blue Devils posted a 3-1 dual record. Maddie Mullenbach received the WIAC Judy Kruckman Scholar-Athlete Award. Senior Shadae Boone and freshman Kiara Bruening earned All-WIAC honors
2020: Wheeler served as a volunteer coach in 2020. The Blue Devils placed fourth at the WIAC Championships and qualified six for the NCGA National Championship before the championships was canceled due to COVID-19. Brooke Terry was ranked second nationally in the all-around with a SAS average of 37.8563. Shadae Boone was ranked first nationally on the vault with an average of 9.7563 and has scored a season-high of 9.800.
2019: Worked with the SGA (formerly SEGA) for two years as the head coach of the competitive teams.
PERSONAL
A native of St. Cloud, Minn., Wheeler participated in gymnastics at St. Cloud Technical High School where she also got her start in coaching. Wheeler graduated from St. Cloud State University with a bachelor of science in cellular & molecular biology. In 2022 she added a Masters in Exercise Science from Concordia St. Paul.Wheeler resides in Menomonie with her husband, Vince, and their two children.
Updated: July 2025
