Payne joined the Naval Academy program in September of 2017 after years of success in the youth ranks, including his most recent stop at the noted Bart Connor Gymnastics Academy.
“I am extremely excited to announce the addition of Colin Payne to our coaching staff and the Navy Gymnastics Family,” remarked head coach Kip Simons. “Colin has been around the program for just brief time and he has made an immediate impact on our student athletes. Colin brings passion and has a well-trained technical eye for the development of gymnasts.”
During his first three years with the program, Payne has made an immediate impact and has drawn recognition for the team’s success with East Regional Co-Assistant Coach of the Year honors coming from the CGA in 2018, 2019 and 2020, in addition to the nod as ECAC Co-Assistant Coach of the Year in 2019 and 2020.
The 2020 Navy squad had a season to remember as the program collected a win the Star Meet over Army, placed first at the All-Academy Championship, scored 402.0 points or more in five of their seven competitions and eventually ended the abridged season with the fifth-best scoring average in the NCAA ranks at 406.63. Individually, four Mids earned CGA All-American honors, Ben Provost, Cash Buske, Josh Williams and Connor Van Loo. As a whole, Navy gymnasts garnered an additional 24 All-ECAC and 12 USAG Collegiate All-America awards.
Payne and the Mids turned in one of the best seasons in program history in 2019 as the team defeated Army for the second straight Star Meet, won the All-Academy Championship for the first time since 2009, the USAG Collegiate Championship for the first time since 2008 and the ECAC Championship for the second year. The season culminated with Navy finishing 10th at the NCAA Championship and outscoring both California and Army.
In his first year with the Mids in 2018, the team competed at the NCAA Championship meet, as well as won the 2018 ECAC Championship. Individually, four athletes attained a total of five combined individual titles at the USAG and ECAC Championship events.
A member of the coaching staff at the Bart Conner Gymnastics Academy for over five years beginning in July 2012, Payne had a first-hand role in the growth and maturation of numerous future and current NCAA gymnasts. Above and beyond DI athletes, Payne coached Jordan Kovach, a member of the United States Junior National Team, while Kovach was at BCGA.
Prior to coaching in Oklahoma, Payne worked at the Harpeth School of Gymnastics near Nashville, Tennessee during the 2011-12 school year.
A native of Hendersonville, Tenn., Payne is a 2017 graduate from the University of Oklahoma. Payne earned a bachelor’s degree in anthropology.
