BROOKVILLE, N.Y. – LIU Gymnastics head coach Randy Lane announced the hiring of his inaugural coaching staff Tuesday, consisting of two new faces for the Sharks. Lane welcomed two-time All-American Hallie Mossett and BIG TEN champion Lauren Marinez to his staff as assistant coaches.
 
"Both Hallie and Lauren are among the wave of new, young coaches, that were incredible athletes that are giving back to the sport and helping change the culture," Lane said.  "I am honored to have both of them as members of the inaugural staff for LIU gymnastics."
 
Mossett, a former USA National Team member and gymnast at UCLA, comes to LIU from Redondo Beach, Calif. An international elite, Junior Olympics and NCAA choreographer, she brings immense experience to the newly formed Shark program.
 
A five-year member of the UCLA program, Mossett spent four seasons as an athlete, before spending her final year as an undergraduate assistant coach on the 2018 NCAA National Championship team. During her career with the Bruins, she was a first-team All American, a first team All-Pac-12 honoree, a member of the UCLA Athletics Director's honor roll, and a Pac-12 All-Academic honoree. She was also a two-time Pac-12 Specialist of the Week and a two-time Pac-12 Freshman of the Week. A member of the USA Gymnastics National Team, she was also a Pan American Games Team USA alternate. Mossett also performed a floor routine that went viral in 2017, picking up mentions in Entertainment Weekly, Time, People and Cosmo, and leading to a TV appearance on Home & Family.
 
In addition to her coaching experience at UCLA, Mossett has coached and choreographed with UCLA club gymnastics, at Beam Queen Boot Camp, and with the USA Gymnastics Congress. She graduated from UCLA in 2018.
 
"I have known Hallie for many years, as I coached her during her collegiate career at UCLA," Lane said.  "Her talent as an athlete is helping her blossom, grow and become a confident new coach.  Her style as a choreographer and her ability to perform as an athlete and entertainer, I believe will be the greatest combination for her to become a great coach here at LIU."
 
Marinez, a BIG TEN champion both as an individual and with her team at Michigan, comes to LIU after spending a season as a volunteer assistant coach at Rutgers.
 
A native of Orlando, Florida, Marinez was a four-year letterwinner for the Wolverines from 2015-18, and helped the team win the Big Ten Championships each season. As a senior, she placed first on balance beam with a 9.900 to win the conference event title and take a spot on the Big Ten All-Championships Team. Marinez earned All-Big Ten Second Team twice.
 
In addition, she was named a NSCA All-American in 2017 for her work in strength and conditioning and garnered the team's Most Improved Award.
 
Prior to her time at Rutgers, Marinez spent one season as the head coach for the Ann Arbor High School gymnastics team. She started her coaching career working with athletes at Michigan gymnastics camps all four summers of college.
 
Marinez graduated from the University of Michigan with a general studies degree in April 2018.
 
"Lauren was a very talented athlete, and is proving to be a talented and knowledgeable coach as well," Lane said. "The energy that she brings to practice and her encouragement towards the LIU gymnasts is proving to be one of her greatest attributes and strengths as a coach.  I feel confident that she will bring a 'recent athlete' perspective to help this young team grow in to strong women and strong leaders."
 
The Sharks will compete in the East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) in their inaugural season as a program.