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Utah gymnastics: Coaches Farden, Marsden ink five-year contract extensions

Red Rocks coming off third Pac-12 title in four seasons last year

  | Sep. 6, 2017, 3:10 p.m.

Lennie Mahler | The Salt Lake Tribune Co-head coach Megan Marsden observes the Red Rocks as they warm up on the uneven bars in a meet against Oregon State, West Virginia, and SUU at the Huntsman Center, Saturday, Jan. 19, 2013. The Red Rocks edged the competition with a final score of 196.950, followed by Oregon State with a score of 195.950.

Utah is keeping the faces of the Red Rocks around for a while.

Utah athletic director Chris Hill announced Wednesday morning that gymnastic co-coaches Tom Farden and Megan Marsden both have signed five-year contract extensions through 2022. Farden and Marsden, who enter their third season as co-coaches at Utah, won their first Pac-12 Championship last season. It was Utah’s third Pac-12 crown in the last four years.

The Red Rocks finished 2017 fifth in the country after an NCAA Super Six appearance.

“We are privileged to have two of the finest gymnastics coaches in the country in Tom Farden and Megan Marsden, and this contract extension signifies their commitment to the future success of Utah gymnastics,” Hill said in a release. “Tom is a rising star in the gymnastics coaching world, and Megan’s reputation is well established. They make a great team.”

Both Farden and Marsden helped construct a powerhouse at Utah before assuming their respective roles as co-coaches. Marsden was co-coach with the program’s founder, Greg Marsden, for six years. This upcoming season will be Farden’s eighth on staff.

Marsden, one of the school’s most-decorated gymnasts, is in her 34th year as part of the Utah coaching staff.

“Megan and I are grateful to Dr. Hill for his faith in us,” Farden said in the release. “With the unrivaled resources, fan base and tradition of success at Utah, we think this is the best coaching job in the country. Our goal is to continue to compete for championships and maintain our position among the nation’s elite gymnastics programs year in and year out.”

Utah’s ongoing national-record streak of consecutive national championship appearances currently sits at 42 years.