New Leaders for Crew

Head coaches hired for men’s and women’s teams

By BU Athletics

The Boston University men's and women's crew teams have more to look forward to this season than competitions — both will be led by a new head coach.

Olympic rower Thomas Bohrer has taken over the men's team, and Stacey Rippetoe, who helped guide the Michigan State women’s rowing team to two Big Ten Championships and a program-best sixth-place team points finish at the 2008 NCAA Championship regatta, is the new women's crew head coach.

A two-time Olympic medalist and a three-time medalist at the World Championships, Bohrer competed for the U.S. Rowing Team from 1986 to 1994, earning silver medals in the men's coxless fours at two consecutive Olympic Summer Games — Seoul in 1988 and Barcelona in 1992. He was named U.S. Rowing Athlete of the Year in 1989, and was the Olympic team captain in 1992.

"I want to commend our crew alumni, current student-athletes, and senior associate athletic director Nancy Lyons for their commitment throughout this process of hiring the most qualified person to lead our program," says Mike Lynch, assistant vice president and director of athletics. "BU aspires to be a national competitor in the world of intercollegiate rowing. After conducting a nationwide search, we are confident that we are heading in that direction."

Rippetoe spent eight years with the Spartans, six years as an assistant coach and the last two as the associate head coach. She was head coach of the novice team and recruiting coordinator for the entire program. MSU qualified for the NCAA Championships in seven of the past eight years.

"She is a proven recruiter, understands from experience how to build a winning program, has a dynamic ability to motivate and communicate, engages herself and her team in the community, and will be absolutely relentless in her quest for success. Needless to say, we are proud to welcome Stacey to the Terrier family," says Lynch, crediting "the effort exhibited during this search process by our women’s rowing alumnae, our current student-athletes and deputy director of athletics Drew Marrochello, the sport administrator for women’s rowing."

The 2007 CRCA Central Region Assistant Coach of the Year, Rippetoe also helped MSU win a Big Ten team championship in 2005. The program has finished as high as sixth nationally in the team points championship twice during her tenure, in 2006 and 2008. Additionally, she led the second varsity four to a Big Ten championship in 2004.

“I want to thank Mike Lynch, Drew Marrochello, and the BU Athletics Department for providing me this opportunity,” Rippetoe says. “While I have aspired to be a head coach for many years, I wanted it to be the right situation. Boston University is the perfect opportunity. I cannot wait to become a part of Terrier Athletics and help an established program."

Bohrer has more than 20 years of successful coaching experience, most recently with the Union Boat Club in Boston, where he has trained rowers at the master's, collegiate, novice, youth, and national team levels since 2000. He also has been the boys varsity coach at Wayland-Weston High School, which won state championships each of his three years as coach.

"My family and I are eager to join the Terrier Athletics Department and the entire Boston University community," says Bohrer. "I look forward to getting out on the Charles with the student-athletes as we pursue excellence for the BU men's crew program."

Boston University and the Terrier men's and women's crew programs host the start of the Head of the Charles regatta at the University's DeWolfe Boathouse. This year's regatta is October 18 and 19, 2008.

Read more at the BU Athletics Web site.

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