Dave Mickelson - Men's Gymnastics Coach - Air Force Academy Athletics

Dave Mickelson

Title:
Men's Gymnastics Assistant Coach
Email:
david.mickelson@usafa.edu
Phone:
719-333-6422

Dave Mickelson, who volunteered with the Air Force men’s gymnastics team for more than a decade before becoming a full-time member of the staff, enters his second season as an assistant coach with the program. Having spent 17 seasons on the coaching staff at Iowa State before joining the Falcons, Mickelson is no stranger to collegiate gymnastics.

Mickelson has been a consistent presence in the Falcons’ gym over the last 16 years. He has been on the sidelines as Air Force has captured the last nine USAG titles and advanced as a team to the NCAA National Qualifier in each of the last eight years. In his first season as a full-time assistant, Mickelson coached three Falcons to USAG event titles and three others to appearances in the event finals of the NCAA Championships.

During Mickelson’s 17 seasons at Iowa State, he served as the men’s gymnastics head coach from 1984-94 and saw the Cyclones produce five NCAA All-Americans, including Mark Diab, who won back-to-back national titles on the still rings. Iowa State also earned a fourth-place finish in the team standings at the NCAA National Championship meet during his first season as head coach. Prior to his promotion to head coach, Mickelson spent six years as an assistant coach with the Cyclones, helping generate one Olympian, three NCAA individual champions and 13 NCAA All-Americans. In addition, Iowa State finished fourth at the NCAA Championships on three occasions, while also earning a second-place mark once during his term as an assistant coach.

Mickelson has served on numerous boards during his career, including the NCAA Men's Gymnastics Committee, the United States Gymnastics Federation Board of Directors and the United States Gymnastics Federation Men's Program Committee. In addition, he was the chair of the NCAA Men's Gymnastics Committee (1987-91) and spent 10 years as a National Safety Certifier for the U.S. Gymnastics Federation.

A 1981 graduate of Iowa State University, Mickelson earned a degree in physical education with an emphasis in athletic administration. He was a three-year letterwinner for the Cyclones' gymnastics team, helping Iowa State to three Big Eight Conference Championships and two NCAA Championship team titles.