The once-celebrated queen of the gym, Courtney Kupets Carter, was handed her walking papers by the University of Georgia after spending seven seasons, trying to catapult the university's gymnastics team back to its former glory, but without securing a single NCAA title. The axing of the former gymnastics champ was confirmed on Friday, ending a tenure filled with high expectations but lackluster results.

Kupets Carter, the star who once shone bright for the GymDogs with four national championships to her name, couldn't shine as bright from the coach's seat, as reported by WABE. Despite her storied past, including a 2009 induction into the USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame, and snatching the 2009 Honda Broderick Cup, as the nation's top female student-athlete in all sports, her coaching stint was marked by a failure to navigate the team to the promised land of NCAA victory.

The decision, evidently a tough call for the athletic department, was met with somber tones from the University’s athletic director Josh Brooks. “These are always difficult decisions, but this one was especially tough because of what Courtney and her family mean to the University of Georgia,” Brooks said. He continued, acknowledging her legacy but noting the necessity of change, “She is among the greatest Bulldog student-athletes of all time, and her many accomplishments and accolades will be remembered for years to come. At this time, we feel, it is in the best interest of our gymnastics program to make a change in leadership as we pursue SEC and national championships.”

The institution, steeped in a tradition of gymnastics excellence with 10 NCAA team championships, under Kupets Carter, couldn't replicate the past peaks. The team's latest performance, or lack thereof, didn't even see them qualifying for this season's championship. It’s a stark contrast to their last victory lap in 2009, a benchmark that now seems a distant memory for the GymDogs. The University has made it clear that restoring their former dominance on the mats is the top agenda and a new leader is the first leap forward.