Lucas Wasson

Lucas Wasson was named an assistant coach on head coach Meredith Paulicivic’s staff in July 2017. He is the primary vault and tumbling coach for the Buckeyes.

Wasson guided the Buckeyes to record marks on floor during the 2022 season. The team hit a program-record 49.625 on the apparatus against Michigan State (Feb. 26) with five gymnasts earning scores of 9.900 or higher in the meet. Overall, six Buckeyes hit personal-best routines, including Savannah Gonzalez (9.850), Jojo Warga (9.900), Alexis Hankins (9.925), Elexis Edwards (9.925) and Jenna Hlavach (9.950). Ohio State finished the season ranked 16th on floor for its highest ranking since 2018.

On vault, Wasson helped Edwards to a career high 9.950 at the 2022 NCAA Regionals to qualify for the NCAA Championship meet. She finished 15th at the national championship meet with a score of 9.866. On the year, a total of five gymnasts reached career bests, including Edwards, Sydney Jennings (9.925), Kaitlyn Grimes (9.900), Hlavach (9.875) and Raina Malas (9.925). The Buckeyes earned a season high event score of 49.300 at the Auburn Regional.

During the 2019 season, Wasson had a hand in the teams season-high vault score of 49.175 at the NCAA Ann Arbor Regional Second Round. Freshman Sydney Jennings highlighted the lineup with a 9.875, the fifth highest score during competition, and Janelle McClelland with a season-high of 9.825. Jenna Swartzentruber scored a season-high 9.800, and Morgan Lowe also posted a season-high of 9.850 on vault.

Wasson guided then-freshman Sydney Jennings to a career high and team high on the season at 9.900 to anchor the squad against West Virginia and Temple. Jennings took first overall, winning her first event title as a Buckeye. Junior Olivia Aepli added a 9.825, tying for third, and Jamie Stone posted a 9.800. The vault squad scored 49.050, their second highest score on the season.

Wasson in his second season with the Buckeyes assisted Big Ten All-Championship team members Janelle McClelland and Danica Abanto to a 9.900 on floor exercise.

In his first season at Ohio State, Wasson was the primary vault coach while assisting on floor exercise. Every gymnast that competed on vault tied or set a career high on the apparatus. The Buckeyes also scored a 9.800 or better on vault 36 times during the 2018 campaign. With Wasson’s guidance, Jamie Stone won the vault title at the 2018 Big Ten Championships with a score of 9.900, Ohio State’s first individual champion on vault since 1999. She repeated the performance two weeks later at the NCAA Columbus Regional, where she qualified for the 2018 NCAA Championships thanks to her first-place finish. Wasson also helped coach Alexis Mattern to a bronze medal on floor exercise at the Big Ten Championships. Stone and Mattern both received All-Big Ten honors.

Wasson spent six years as optional team director at Perfection Gymnastics School in West Chester, Ohio. Prior to that, he served as optional/elite coach at Buckeye Gymnastics in Westerville, Ohio, for six years and competitive team director/head coach at Stars Gymnastics and Cheer in Dayton for three years. Wasson has successfully coached 20 athletes at the USAG National Training Center and coached 15 athletes on to the TOPS national team. He was integral in the early development of Nia Dennis, a former national team member, and coached Lexie Priessman at the 2014 U.S. Classic.

Wasson holds a National Coach Certificate from USA Gymnastics University, which he received in 2013. He is also an Ohio State graduate, with a bachelor’s degree in sport industry from Ohio State.