Christine MacDonald enters her 20th year as Central Michigan University’s assistant coach and her ninth year as the associate head coach.

MacDonald has moved into a new era for Chippewa gymnastics. Since coming to CMU as a gymnast in 1987, MacDonald’s duties have expanded and increased with every season.

Coach Reighard and Coach MacDonald have formed a unified front at the helm of Chippewa gymnastics. Between them, they have a combined 47 years of coaching experience. They form one of the few coaching staffs in the nation that has been together more than 10 years.

During her time on CMU’s staff, MacDonald has been a part of all but one of the Chippewas’ 13 championships – three as an athlete and ten as a coach.


In the gym, Christine is responsible for the daily workout plans, spotting, nutritional oversight and conditioning programs along with overseeing floor and beam choreography.

Under the guidance of MacDonald, CMU has produced the Mid-American Conference balance beam champion seven of the past 12 years. She has also aided in the coaching of five individual NCAA national qualifiers over the past seven years.

In 2003, she was named NCAA Central Regional Assistant Coach of the Year.

Outside of the gym, MacDonald serves as the team’s travel and recruiting coordinator, meet director and summer camp director.

A 1992 graduate of CMU, MacDonald earned a bachelor's degree in interpersonal and public communication.

Christine and her husband, Keith, have three children and reside in Mount Pleasant.