LAKEWOOD, N.J. (Oct. 7, 2026) – As Georgian Court Acrobatics & Tumbling enters its fourth year of competition, New Jersey native Raina Nolan has been selected to lead the program beginning with the 2027 season.

Nolan returns to New Jersey after spending two years as the head coach at Emmanuel University in Franklin Springs, Georgia. She began her collegiate coaching career as a graduate assistant coach at East Stroudsburg University.

"We're very excited to bring in an experienced head coach like Raina," said Director of Athletics Dan Sempkowski. "She's been an up-and-coming coach in the sport of Acrobatics & Tumbling for years now, and we feel that experience will help her jump right in and hit the ground running. Her knowledge of the sport is second to none, and she's proven to have a strong grasp of the Division II model, all of which will be beneficial to our student-athletes and our program."

"I'm truly honored to have the opportunity to lead Georgian Court Acrobatics & Tumbling," said Nolan. "Returning home to New Jersey and having the opportunity to build the next chapter of this program is incredibly meaningful to me. I'm passionate about creating a culture where our student-athletes are challenged to compete at the highest level, supported through every obstacle and empowered to become confident leaders beyond the mat. We're going to work hard, dream big and build something special together. Success isn't given—it's built, one standard at a time."

Nolan's coaching experience extends beyond the collegiate level. She has coached teams and individual athletes at Power Athletics, a youth acrobatics and tumbling gym in Pennsylvania, and has worked alongside former Olympians at International Gymnastics Camp (IGC) in Pennsylvania. Nolan also played an integral role in launching a gymnastics gym from the ground up in Colbert, Georgia, helping establish and develop the program from its earliest stages.

Prior to beginning her coaching career, Nolan was a four-year member of the Davis & Elkins College Acrobatics & Tumbling team, competing in all events from 2019–2023. She earned a bachelor's degree in Community and Corporate Health with a minor in Business.

For Nolan, the opportunity at Georgian Court also marks a return home to the Jersey Shore. A native of Brick, New Jersey, she spent 12 years competing in gymnastics and captured a state all-around title before continuing her athletic career at the collegiate level.