Clemson, South Carolina — Justin Howell, former WCGA National Coach of the Year, and Elisabeth Crandall-Howell, reigning ACC Coach of the Year, have been named Co-Head Coaches of the Clemson Gymnastics team, according to Director of Athletics Graham Neff. The Board of Trustees Compensation Committee approved the measure on Monday. The husband-and-wife combination has spent the previous 13 seasons transforming Cal into a national contender, with the last seven as co-head coaches.
“We’ve gotten to see the program that Justin and Liz built up close during their first season in the ACC, and the consistent excellence they have achieved speaks for itself,” according to Neff. “In addition to numerous competitive achievements,
Their reputation has been repeatedly praised throughout our research. We emphasized finding a coaching staff with expertise in some of the most important situations and the ability to continue the direction of our program, and we believe Justin and Liz meet that requirement. We are pleased by their technological expertise, operational strategy, development plan, integration of health, wellness, and recovery, and attention to detail. We’re delighted to see them go to work.”
During their career at Cal, they guided the Golden Bears to 12 straight NCAA appearances, concluding as runners-up in 2024. Cal has finished in the top 20 every year since 2013, with seven top-10 final rankings since 2016, including the last three seasons (2023-25). This season
They were named Co-ACC Head Coaches of the Year in Cal’s first season in the league after leading the team to a perfect conference record and regular-season championship.
The coaches are the only two in Cal history to have 100 career wins, and they will be named WCGA National Co-Head Coaches of the Year in 2023. They have also guided eleven flawless 10.0 performances.
“I’d like to thank President Clements and Athletics Director Graham Neff for this unbelievable opportunity to lead the Clemson Gymnastics program,” says Howell. “The world-class resources and support that Clemson student athletes receive to thrive in the classroom and on the competition floor are extraordinary. Liz and I are thrilled to offer our enthusiasm, Tiger Town welcomes enthusiasm and the quest of excellence. Clemson is a genuinely exceptional location. “Go, Tigers!” “I cannot express how excited we are to come to TigerTown,” Crandall-Howell said. “The enthusiasm and drive to greatness that flows through Clemson was evident from the moment we stepped on campus. The multitude of information has been deliberately and meticulously curated to support student-athletes in all aspects of their lives – sport, academics, career and leadership development – and to enable them to use those talents to lead in the real world. However, the folks we met in Clemson reinforced that this is the right place for us. Justin and I feel Clemson gymnastics has the potential to be one of the best in the country, and we can’t wait to get
started!” Justin Howell took over as head coach at Cal in 2012 and immediately had an impact on the program, receiving Pac-12 Coach of the Year and NACGC West Region Coach of the Year awards in his first season. He went on to achieve three more NACGC West Region Coach of the Year awards, one more Pac-12 Coach of the Year title (2016), and was named the NACGC National Coach of the Year in 2016 before taking on the post of Co-Head Coach with his wife. Elisabeth Crandall-Howell in 2018. Since then, Howell has been named 2024 WCGA West Region Coach of the Year, two more NACGC West Region Coach of the Year, and two more Pac-12 Coach of the Year (2021, 2024). Crandall-Howell joined Cal as an assistant coach in 2012, became associate head coach in 2014, and then Co-Head Coach in 2018. Crandall-Howell was selected NACGC West Region Assistant Coach of the Year in 2015, and National Assistant Coach of the Year the following season. Crandall-Howell has been named Pac-12 Coach of the Year twice (2021, 2024), as well as WCGA Region 6 Coach of the Year twice (2020, 2021).
Justin Howell was the head coach for Team Jamaica at the 2016 Summer Olympics while attending Cal. Elisabeth Crandall-Howell was a two-time first-team All-American and three-time NCAA Regional Bars Champion while attending BYU. Crandall-Howell was also a seven-time member of the US National Team from 1987 to 1992, winning a gold medal at the US Championships on bars in 1991 and a team silver medal at the 1991 World Championships.
Howell and Crandall-Howell are married since 2011 and have three children.
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