The Stanford Cardinals have added former Berkeley sophomores Ondine Achampong and Mya Wiley to their gymnastics lineup after Achampong and Wiley both stepped into the transfer portal, seeking a new home filled with fun and optimism. The change comes amid the Golden Bears’ first new season wrap under a new coaching staff, following a major coaching shake-up.
The gymnastic world, alongside other collegiate sports, has seen a massive surge in athletes entering the transfer portal to seek opportunities that would help them excel academically and fulfill their athletic dreams, often set to great heights. Both Achampong and Wiley have taken the route for similar reasons, despite being the key members of the Golden Bears lineup who helped propel the program to a commendable height.
Their decision to join the Cardinals is rooted deeply in a search for genuine care, highlighted through their post-transfer statement on their social media. Via their socials, both sophomores highlighted their quest to be part of a program where people listen, and communication is the top priority.
Ondine Achampong, in a statement, wrote about the importance of a genuine player-coach bond while highlighting her love for being valued both as a gymnast and as a student.
“I entered the transfer portal with the goal of finding somewhere with an environment that makes me happy. A place where everyone is heard, and communication is welcomed and encouraged. I want to feel valued by my coaches as a gymnast, a student, and at the very least, as a human being, and Stanford is a place that I truly believe could give me that,” wrote Achampong.
Her statement was against the backdrop of her donning the Cardinals’ attire and posing in the Stanford training facility.
Mya Wiley also wrote a detailed statement, expressing gratitude towards USC, while highlighting the instant vibe of support, bond, and genuine care that she found after setting foot inside Stanford University.
UC Golden Bears Gymnastic Coaching Shakeup
The shakeup in California’s gymnastics training staff has been a seismic move, as for years the Golden Bears’ floor prowess was defined by their top head coaches, Justin Howell and Elisabeth Crandall-Howell. However, during the fall of 2025, the Howell couple decided to step down and move over to Clemson University, leaving a huge void that Berkeley had to fill.
The Golden Bears, however, were quick to bring in the veteran Geralen Stack-Eaton as the program’s 14th head coach after Stack-Eaton spent her last 11 seasons as an assistant coach for Minnesota, where she took the Gophers gymnastics to great heights.
The transition, proved to be rocky during the start of the 2026 season, though, as the Golden Bears witnessed shifts in the changing dynamics of the team culture and communication, highlighted by several athletes.
It remains to be seen how the Bears amend their current program as Stanford prepares to welcome the powerhouse duo, who will train under the veteran leadership of Tabitha Yim.
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