JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — LSU gymnastics coach D-D Breaux was inducted into the USA Gymnastics Region 8 Hall of Fame as a member of the 2009 class in Jacksonville, Fla.
Breaux was one of 11 members of the hall of fame class that also included Alabama coach Sarah Patterson and departing Georgia coach Suzanne Yoculan.
“Any time you are recognized by peers and those you work with professionally day to day it is such an honor, and I am humbled to be in this group,” Breaux said. “It was only the third class inducted into this region’s hall of fame.”
Breaux was not only inducted for her accomplishments in 32 seasons as coach of the Tigers but also for what she accomplished as a gymnast when she earned regional and national honors and qualified for the World Game Trials before suffering a career-ending knee injury. Before her career ended Breaux was a Junior Olympic National Champion and earned the S.A.A.U.’s Outstanding Gymnast award.
Throughout her career Breaux has coached in Region 8, first as an assistant coach at Southeastern Louisiana for three seasons before taking over the program at LSU in 1978.
During her time at Southeastern Breaux became a national level judge and served as the first state director for the Louisiana USA gymnastics program.
Also joining Breaux in the hall of fame class are club coaches Brad Harris, Jeff Wood and Johnny Moyal, a LSU alumnus. Moyal coaches for Baton Rouge’s Elite Gymnastics where current LSU gymnasts Gloria Johnson and Ashley Lee trained.
Harris coaches the Tampa Bay Turners where current LSU All-American Summer Hubbard trained. Harris also coached former LSU gymnasts Colleen Barger, Lindsay Beddow, Lauren Companioni and Terin Martinjak.
Wood coaches Orlando Metro Gymnastics where incoming LSU freshman Janelle Garcia has trained as well as former Tiger gymnast Kelly Phelan.
Region 8 includes eight states ? Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.