For Courtney McCool Griffeth, gymnastics is not just a sport—it's a language she speaks fluently. The LSU associate head coach, former Olympic medalist, and University of Georgia legend recently learned she will be inducted into the USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2026. The honor adds another milestone to a career that has spanned elite competition, collegiate championships, and coaching excellence.

"It's my favorite language," Griffeth said. "It makes so much sense to me. To continue to grow in the sport and be a coach—to be an Olympian and a college athlete, to win national championships with my team, stand on a podium with silver medals around our necks—I'm just grateful for all the seasons of gymnastics I've been blessed to be a part of."

The induction ceremony is set for Saturday in Phoenix, held in conjunction with the U.S. Gymnastics Championships. Griffeth will be joined by six other inductees: 2016 Olympian Logan Dooley (trampoline), two-time world team champion Kara Eaker (artistic), 2020 Olympian Camilla Feeley (rhythmic), coach and competitor Tim Klempnauer, and the acrobatic gymnastics duo of Maren Merwarth and Jessica Renteria.

Griffeth's journey began in Lee's Summit, Missouri, where she trained at GAGE Gymnastics—the same club that produced LSU standouts Sarah and Aleah Finnegan and former Tiger Alexis Jeffrey. She earned a spot on the U.S. Olympic team for the 2004 Athens Games, helping the squad capture a team silver medal. But her Olympic experience was not without challenges. Jay Clark, who coached her at Georgia and now serves as LSU's head coach, recalled that Griffeth arrived in Athens with a wrist injury that would later limit her collegiate vaulting career.

"She didn't have the best experience as an Olympian," Clark said. "Her spirit was down a little bit, and she didn't really understand college gymnastics. But it grew on her and she found a real love for the college experience."

That love translated into a standout collegiate career at Georgia, where she helped the GymDogs win three straight NCAA championships from 2007 to 2009. She also claimed the 2008 NCAA individual floor title. Balance beam, however, was always her favorite event. She even has a move named after her—a front handspring onto the beam, fittingly called the McCool.

After college, Griffeth transitioned into coaching alongside her husband, Garrett Griffeth. The couple worked together at Texas Woman's University, Arkansas, and Utah before joining Jay Clark's staff at LSU ahead of the 2022 season. Both hold the title of associate head coach. They have three daughters—Raelynn, Blakey, and Ryleigh—with the eldest, 10-year-old Rae, already following in her mother's footsteps as a gymnast.

At LSU, Griffeth oversees floor exercise and choreography. Under her guidance, the Tigers have ranked first nationally on floor in 2024 and 2026, and third in 2023 and 2025. Clark praised her as a "heck of an athlete" and a pleasure to coach, noting that her ability to connect with gymnasts stems from her own experiences.

"Gymnastics is the best thing ever," Griffeth said. "It's literally straight-up life skills. To learn through your favorite thing and then I get to teach it every day. There are moments I'm so grateful, when I think, 'That's my job?'"

Her induction into the Hall of Fame cements a legacy built on resilience, passion, and a deep love for the sport that has shaped her life.