Paula Thoms Named Assistant Women's Rowing Coach
October 17, 2008 | Women's Rowing
Oct. 17, 2008
BOSTON - Paula Thoms has been named an assistant women's rowing coach at Boston University, head coach Stacey Rippetoe announced today. Thoms comes to BU from Brock University and has also coached at Michigan State and the St. Catharines Rowing Club.
"I am so happy to complete our staff with Paula Thoms," said Rippetoe. "It's not only Paula's strong work ethic and effective leadership that make her a great assistant coach. Paula sees the potential of our team and embraces the high standards our program sets. I am proud to welcome her to the Terrier family."
Thoms spent this fall as the assistant novice coach at Brock University in Canada, where she motivated, engaged, and educated athletes new to the sport of rowing and organized land and water practices for the Beavers.
Thoms is a 2007 graduate of Michigan State University, where she rowed for and coached alongside Rippetoe, serving as a volunteer novice coach after graduating, and helping the Spartans capture the Big Ten Conference championship.
A four-year member of the varsity eight, Thoms was part of the Michigan State crew that won the 2005 Big Ten championship and attained a team-record sixth-place finish at the NCAA Championship in 2006. She earned second-team All-Big Ten recognition her senior season and the team's Spirit Award for best exemplifying the passion and integrity of the team.
Thoms has also rowed and coached at the St. Catharines Rowing Club in her native St. Catharines, Ontario, since 2000. She is a three-time champion at the Royal Henley Regatta in 2000, 2002, and 2006 and a 2004 Head of the Charles Regatta champion. In 2002, the club recognized Thoms as its Female Oarswoman of the Year.
She spent three summers as head coach of the St. Catharines Youth Rowing Camp and coached the club's junior `A' women in 2007, leading the crew to a top-10 finish at the Canadian Henley Regatta.
Thoms earned a bachelor of arts degree in marketing from the Broad School of Business at Michigan State and was honored with the Big Ten Conference Scholar Athlete Award.
