Tom Kovic will no longer be the head coach of the Penn gymnastics program.
Kovic signalled his resignation yesterday in an e-mail sent to current and past team members.
"It was a tough decision, but the right one," he wrote in the e-mail. "It is time Penn gymnastics had the opportunity for new direction and leadership."
It is not yet clear why Kovic is leaving, or if it was even his decision to do so.
The e-mail went on to say that Kovic will remain on campus for roughly two and a half months before leaving for good.
He will depart after 19 years at the helm, having won eight Ivy Classic titles and two Eastern College Athletic Conference championships.
A 1977 graduate of Temple, Kovic spent four years competing on the Owls' gymnastics squad, including an appearance as an NCAA finalist in 1976.
"It's sad -- he had a long career there," said Laura Bouchelle, who graduated from the program last year.
"When I joined the team [in 2001], it was sort of a disaster, and we've really come a long way since then.
"I hope this isn't a step back," she said.
No current players were made available for comment.
Whoever inherits the program will face a stiff challenge next year, as the team stands to lose what Kovic has described as "a spectacular senior class."
The team will graduate seven gymnasts this year.
Six recruits -- all brought in by Kovic -- have committed to next year's squad.
Kovic didn't return a request for comment.
