UMHB Acrobatics & Tumbling Team Introduces New Head Coach Kolo
By Ellie Beal, Reporter
The UMHB Acrobatics & Tumbling team head coach stepped down this summer and a former UMHB athlete stepped into place as the new head coach.
Katelyn Kolodziejczyk (Kolo), UMHB alumni and former student athlete, is now the new head coach for the Acro & Tumbling team as of late July. Kolo was not planning on becoming the head coach so suddenly, although she expressed her excitement to work at UMHB, “That’s my home…” Kolo said, “I want to be here.”
This change for the team occurred abruptly over the summer when former head coach Raffaela Scotto announced her departure from the position in order to move closer to her family. Kolo showed her bold, faith-based mindset as she explained the process that gained her this position, “I had some interviews, and things just fell into place.”
Having been an athlete on the UMHB Acro & Tumbling team under Scotto from 2020 – 2024 and being the assistant UMHB Acro & Tumbling coach from 2025 – 2026, Kolo has big goals for the team, including their team motto for this year, “Find a Way.”
Stating that the current team includes 13 seniors this year, Kolo has high hopes for the team’s performance this season and carrying Raff’s championship culture and success, “We hold our team to a high standard, and our culture is really important to us, and I want to continue that.”
UMHB Vice President for Athletics, Hunter Sims, expressed his confidence in Kolo’s abilities and his own championship mindset during an interview, “You could see her maturity with how she coaches and her pride and passion to live out her faith, but also compete for a championship, which is exactly what we want to be about.”
Sims is not the only person confident of Kolo’s abilities as new head coach. Current UMHB student athlete, Emily Kithil, was a freshman in the 2023 – 2024 season when Kolo was a senior on the Acro & Tumbling team. Having experienced Kolo as a fellow teammate, then assistant coach, and now head coach, Kithil is excited to experience her senior year on Kolo’s team. Kithil shared her experience so far with Kolo as new head coach, “It’s been amazing. She is wonderful and doing an amazing job. I am truly so proud of her and she’s the perfect person to lead our team.”
The UMHB Acro & Tumbling team has won the DIII tournament for the past four consecutive years and is the first DIII team to qualify and compete in the National Championship. As with all UMHB athletics, the standard is high and Kolo made it clear she is ready to accept the challenge. As fall semester practices begin and spring competition seasons approaches, the UMHB Acro & Tumbling team will “Find a Way” with the leadership of their former teammate, mentor and current passionate leader, Coach Kolo.
With the goal to win the championship, yet also prepare her athletes for life after college, Kolo and the UMHB Acro & Tumbling team will “Find a Way” this year. Steadfast in her faith, and passionate for UMHB, Kolo shared with confidence, “Problems come up… injuries happen, things don’t go to plan… and God comes in and makes sure his plan is known, and not ours.”
