July 7, 2022
The Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA) is honored to announce the four head coaches named as the 2022 National Coach of the Year. Voted on by their peers, this award is designed to recognize head coaches who have had outstanding success during the current season, demonstrated great team improvement from the prior season, and demonstrated a high level of professionalism and integrity as a coach in our sport.
This is Coach O’Neill’s 5th (CRCA record) Division I National Coach of the Year Award and this year also marks the 9th time he has been named CRCA Regional Coach of the Year. O’Neill is a six-time Big-12 Coach of the Year. The Texas Longhorns won back-to-back National Championships in 2021 and 2022, along with top performances in 2017(4th) 2018 (3rd) and 2019 (2nd place). Dave has led the Longhorns to seven consecutive top-10 finishes at the NCAA Championships along with seven consecutive Big-12 Conference Championships.
In her first year as Associate Head Coach for the Stanford Lightweights, Madison led the Cardinals to a 4th place at the IRA Championships, highlighted by a bronze medal finish in the Varsity 8+ race.
Mercyhurst University is coming off their third National Championship in program history (2004, 2010, and 2022) and this award is the 4th DII National Coach of the Year for Adrian Spracklen. Having been at the helm of the program since 1992, Coach Spracklen has guided the Lakers Women’s team to 16 NCAA appearances. Mercyhurst was the national runner-up in 2005, 2009, 2011, 2015, and 2020.
Tessa is earning her 3rd National Coach of the Year Award, having received it in 2011 and 2016. The 2008, 2010, 2014-2018 NEWMAC Coach of the Year, Spillane also guided the Blue to third place finishes at the NCAA Division III National Championships in 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, and 2019 and is coming off the 2022 season as NCAA Division III Champions. Wellesley is now one of only four women’s rowing programs to capture multiple NCAA Division III titles since 2002.
“The staff at Texas has done a terrific job by any standard. Our team has been ranked #1 in the CRCA poll throughout the year, and we’ve been at the top of other rankings, as well. The team has gone undefeated across all boat categories except one close loss to Michigan in the second four. We traveled west to California, north to Michigan and east to Princeton, so the logistics for the year were significant. Additionally, we hosted two events, Longhorn Invite and Big 12 Championships, where we had to set-up and break-down the full course, etc. Thank you for considering our staff.”
Associate Head Coach – Mary Lenington
Assistant Coach – Mara Allen
Assistant Coach- Nick Baker
Director Of Operations- Rachel Sander
Boatman/Rigger- Spencer Kales
Graduate Assistant Coach- Sara Neaves
Volunteer Coach- Gia Doonan
Volunteer Coach- Hanna Luft
“To finish the season on such a high note could not have been achieved without the great staff we have at Mercyhurst. From assistant coaches Jakob Mathieu and John Rost to our athletic trainer Maeve Magee it was a culmination of focused teamwork that enabled the team to perform at such a high level. Much of the season felt like a boxing match, with the team taking punch after punch on the chin sending us crashing to the mat. We would get up only to take yet another hit to the chin sending us crashing to the mat once again. The team showed remarkable resiliency throughout the season thanks in part through the leadership and support of the coaching staff. Their commitment to the program and the support they gave the rowers resulted in a performance and a season that they will cherish for many years to come.”
Assistant Coach- Jakob Mathieu
Assistant Coach/Boatman- Jonathan Rost
Athletic Trainer – Maeve Magee
Volunteer Assistant Coach- Keelan Ziegler
“We have amazing assistant coaches in Emilie Muller and Emilia Ball ‘19. They both give so much positive energy, expertise and rowing knowledge to our roster. Their collective sense of humor and their willingness to teach in a big relearning year for our program (after two years away from racing) was critical to our team’s success all year and I would be lost without them:)”
Assistant Coach: Emilia Ball ’19
Novice Coach: Emilie Muller
