Katalin Deli was hired as the first coach in 1973 and quickly established the team as a contender for regional and conference titles; she was named Big Ten Coach of the Year for the 1989 and 1991 seasons.

Under the Stephensons, Minnesota advanced to the NCAA National Championships three times, finishing 10th in 1997, 9th in 2002, and 8th in 2013.

Minnesota also added more Big Ten team titles, winning in 1998 and 2006.

Jim stepped down as head coach in 2010, continuing to assist the team in a volunteer position.

The highest score ever recorded by the Minnesota gymnastics team is 197.750, at the 2021 conference championships.