Staff Directory
- Title:
- Head Coach
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On May 20th, 2026, Vice President for Athletics and Athletics Director Brendan Fahey announced the hiring of the first coach of the Gardner-Webb acrobatics and tumbling team. Molly Hanley, a standout collegiate athlete and the head coach at King University in Bristol, Tenn., will build the University’s new program.
Prior to arriving in Boiling Springs, Hanley spent two years as Head Coach of Acrobatics & Tumbling, Cheer, and Dance at King University. There, she directed three collegiate programs, managing recruiting, compliance, travel logistics, budgets, fundraising, and event operations. She successfully hosted the 2024 Conference Carolinas Championship while also leading her team to a conference finals championship after finishing sixth in the league standings.
Hanley coached three student-athletes to Conference Carolinas All-Conference honors as well as seven who were named to the Conference Carolinas All-Academic Team, including a Conference Carolinas Scholar Athlete of the Year.
Hanley was also a standout athlete on the mats at Belmont Abbey College in Belmont, N.C., where she was a two-time first team All-Conference Carolinas performer with the Crusaders, while also being a member of the inaugural team. In addition to the individual honors, Hanley qualified for the conference championships in the event finals in both the open toss and trio pass during her time at The Abbey.
She was a four-year captain while winning the Conference Carolinas championship in 2022 for the 450 salto toss, qualifying for the NCATA National Championships. Hanley was twice named first team All-Conference Carolinas and was a three-time member of the Belmont Abbey dean’s list.
Hanley competed in artistic gymnastics prior to pursuing an acrobatics & tumbling career in college, and is a level two coach, having served as a coach at private gym near her hometown in Tampa, Fla.
Hanley earned her Bachelor of Arts in sport management with a minor in psychology from Belmont Abbey, where she was an active member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee.
