Ashley Wagner switches coaches

June 23, 2008

Ashley Wagner Announces Coaching Change U.S. bronze
medalist will train with Johnny Weir's former coach,
Priscilla Hill

U.S. bronze medalist Ashley Wagner announced today that
she has ended her six-year relationship with coach
Shirley Hughes and will begin training with Priscilla
Hill.

"I'm hoping this change helps bring a new maturity to my
skating and brings me closer to my dream of competing in
the Olympic Games," Wagner said.

Wagner began training with Hughes in January 2002. She
made her big splash in the fall of 2006, when she won
both of her Junior Grand Prix assignments and finished
second at the JGP Final. She followed that up with bronze
medals at the 2007 State Farm U.S. Figure Skating
Championships (at the junior level) and the 2007 World
Junior Figure Skating Championships.

In her debut season on the senior circuit, Wagner came in
fifth at 2007 Skate Canada and earned the bronze medal at
Trophée Eric Bompard in Paris. Capturing the bronze at
the 2008 U.S. Championships earned her a berth to the
Four Continents Figure Skating Championships and World
Figure Skating Championships, where she placed eighth and
16th, respectively.

"I appreciate all that Mrs. Hughes has done for me; I
wouldn't have made it to the World Championships without
her," Wagner said. "Right now I'm concentrating on my
future and where this change will take me."

"I am very proud of Ashley and all we accomplished
together,"Hughes said. "I wish her the best of luck in
all her future endeavors."

Hill coached Johnny Weir to three straight U.S. titles
from 2004-06 before the two parted ways last summer. She
also coaches four-time U.S. silver medalist ice dancers
Melissa Gregory and Denis Petukhov.

"I'm looking forward to a very exciting season with
Ashley,"Hill said. "She has great talent and a strong
competitive spirit, and I am pleased to be a part of her
growth and development."

Wagner will be starting her senior year at West Potomac
High School in the fall. She will compete at the Cup of
China in Beijing and the NHK Trophy in Tokyo.

[url]http://www.usfigureskating.org/Story.asp?id=41590[/url]