For the second time in his five-year career at the University of Kentucky, assistant gymnastics coach Hajile “Mo” Muhammad was named the NCAA Central Region Assistant Coach of the Year. He also received the honor in 1999 when UK was a member of the Southeast Region.

“I can’t say enough about what Coach Mo has brought to our program,” Coach Leah Little said. “He is so nurturing and caring that I feel he really looks after the gymnasts, making sure they achieve in and out of the gym. He is an elite coach, and I couldn’t ask for anyone better. He deserves this award every year.”

Muhammad has nearly 20 years of experience coaching gymnastics. He began as an assistant at Lansing (Mich.) Eastern High School when he was a sophomore in college. After a year there, he was promoted to head coach and led the team to its first conference championship. Muhammad then went to Texas where he coached under the legendary Bela Karolyi and taught at Gizi’s Gymnastics in Houston for eight years before arriving at UK.