North Carolina State University Athletics
Gymnastics Adds Pleasants to Staff
8/1/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
Aug. 1, 2005
Raleigh, N.C. - NC State gymnastics coach Mark Stevenson has announced the hiring of Karen Pleasants as an assistant coach for the Wolfpack. Pleasants, who's maiden name was Karen Tart, was one of the Pack's top gymnasts of all-time, competing for the Pack from 1988-1991.
She currently serves as the president of Pleasants PGI, Inc. While there, Pleasants has provided instruction, clinics and choreography nationally. She was the coach and choreographer for TOP's National Team gymnasts in 2004. Pleasants also has experience working at Orlando Metro Gymnastics (Orlando, Fla.), Rose's Gymnastics Training Center (Gainesville, Fla.), and Woodward Gymnastics Camp (Woodward, Pa.).
In addition to teaching gymnastics, Pleasants is also involved in being a judge and running meets. Pleasants in a member of the National Association of Women's Gymnastics Judges (NAWGJ). She is a NCAA rated judge, a USAG Level 10 rated judge, and a NC-NAWGJ Board member. She is also a certified meet director.
While a member of the NC State gymnastics team, she was named team MVP in 1988 and 1989. She was the ACC All-Around Champion in both 1988 and 1989, and was a NCAA Regional qualifier from 1988-90. Upon graduation, she held six different school records.
Pleasants graduated with a degree in biology with a nutrition concentration from NC State in 1992, then went on to East Carolina and completed graduate school coursework in dietetics in 1996.
Pleasants grew up in Kansas, before graduating from high school in Pittsburgh, Pa. She is currently married to Greg Pleasants, a fellow NC State graduate and former student athletic trainer for the football team under Dick Sheridan. The couple has three sons: Jacob (7), Colton (5), and Lucas (3).
