Davis Named Director of Women's Rowing at Boston University
July 6, 2017 | Women's Rowing, Women's Lightweight Rowing
BOSTON – Madeline Davis, who helped guide Ohio State to a pair of national team titles and four straight Big Ten team championships, has been named the Director of Women's Rowing at Boston University, Director of Athletics Drew Marrochello announced Thursday afternoon.
An All-America lightweight rower at Princeton, Davis spent four seasons with the Buckeyes, including the past year as the associate head coach, and was part of history, as OSU became the first NCAA openweight program to win three consecutive national titles in the first varsity eight race. In her new role with the Terriers, the West Chester, Pennsylvania, native will serve as head coach of the two-time national champion BU's openweight team and also oversee the lightweight squad.
"Following an extensive search that yielded a deep and talented candidate pool, we are excited to have Madeline take over the reins of our oldest women's varsity program," said Marrochello. "She has tremendous experience at academically elite institutions while having championship-level success at three different Division I programs as a student-athlete and coach. Madeline is widely regarded as a rising star in collegiate rowing coaching circles and is poised to provide our student-athletes with a first-class experience at Boston University."
This past season, the reigning Big Ten champion Buckeyes finished fifth at the NCAA Championships with the varsity eight boat winning the Petite Final and the second varsity eight boat placing fourth in its Grand Final race. Sophomore Ida Kruse earned her first All-America First Team honor while senior Stephanie Williams was named to the second team. In total, Davis has helped rowers claim a combined 24 All-America accolades since receiving the award herself at Princeton in 2009.
"I am honored and excited by the opportunity to serve as the director of women's rowing at Boston University," said Davis. "BU is a world-class educational institution situated alongside a premier rowing venue in America's best rowing town. I'm greatly looking forward to meeting the team and working hard to lead BU women's rowing to consistent championship performances on the water, in the classroom and in life.
"I'd like to thank [director of athletics] Drew Marrochello, [senior associate director of athletics] Bethany Ellis, [deputy director of athletics] Dan Satter and [associate director of athletics] Aaron Aaker for this incredible opportunity," she added. "I'd also like to thank [Ohio State head coach] Andy Teitelbaum, [OSU associate director of athletics] Janine Oman and everyone else at Ohio State for their mentorship and support. I look forward to working closely with [women's lightweight rowing head coach] Malcolm Doldron, [men's rowing head coach] Tom Bohrer and all the coaches and rowers at BU to support a strong, successful environment at the DeWolfe Boathouse."
During her third season in Columbus, the 1V8 knocked off California in the Grand Final in the NCAAs with a time of 6:19.04 to defeat the Bears by more than two seconds. Davis was also instrumental in helping Ohio State securing its fourth-straight conference title with wins from the 1V8, 2V8, 1V4 and 3V4 boats.
In her second season with the Buckeyes in 2015, Ohio State became the first team in NCAA rowing history to win three consecutive national titles. Along with their historic third team title, the Buckeyes also claimed an individual national title in the 1V8, a runner-up finish from the Davis-coached 2V8 and fifth place in the 1V4. OSU also earned a third consecutive Big Ten title and conference-record sixth overall, winning six of seven events at the conference's championship regatta.
The Buckeyes also won a national team title in Davis' debut season on the coaching staff. With gold-medal finishes in the 1V8 and 2V8, the Buckeyes became the fourth team in NCAA history to win both events at the national regatta in the same year.
Davis previously served as the assistant lightweight women's rowing coach at Stanford where the lightweight varsity eight boat captured three consecutive national titles (2011-13) and nine student-athletes earned All-America honors. She also coached three lightweight boats with the 2013 U.S. Under-23 National Team and helped them qualify for the U23 World Rowing Championships held in Linz, Austria.
Prior to her time with Stanford and the U.S. National Team, Davis spent a season as the head coach at The Hun School of Princeton in New Jersey. While there, she coached the V4+ to an undefeated dual season and its first invitation to the U.S. Rowing Youth National Championships in nearly a decade. Davis also assisted with coaching duties for the Mercer Junior Rowing Club and the Carnegie Lake Rowing Association.
An experienced lightweight rower at both the collegiate and international level, Davis served as Princeton's team captain her senior year and left as Eastern Sprints and IRA champion. Following graduation, the All-American competed for the U.S. National Team at the U23 World Rowing Championships in the Lightweight 2x.
Davis will now inherit a Boston University women's rowing program that was elevated to varsity status in 1973 and won back-to-back national titles in 1991 and 1992. Since the NCAA began holding its own national championship regatta in 1997, the Terriers have advanced as a team to the event five times, including most recently in 2013 and 2014.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT MADELINE DAVIS
"This is an exciting time for Madeline, and even more exciting for BU. To have one of the most talented young coaches in America leading your program is a rare moment. The athletes, administrators and alumni of Boston University are extremely lucky to be calling her their Director of Rowing."
– Andy Teitelbaum, Head Coach of Women's Rowing, Ohio State University
"Madeline made an immediate impact on the program at Ohio State when she arrived, and I would expect her to do the same in her new role as Director of Rowing at Boston University. She brings great passion, a strong work ethic, and a desire for success to the BU Terriers. I am sad to see her leave, but I am excited to watch her continued growth as a leader in the collegiate rowing community."
– Janine Oman, Executive Associate Athletics Director – Student Services and Sport Administration, Ohio State University
"Madeline Davis has helped build and sustain national championship teams at Princeton, Stanford and Ohio State. She knows how to make boats go fast, and more importantly she has a clear understanding of what kind of team culture is required to get to the podium and stay there. Boston University made the perfect choice in hiring Coach Davis to lead its women's rowing team."
– Al Acosta, Head Coach of Women's Rowing, University of California - Berkeley (former Stanford women's lightweight rowing head coach)
An All-America lightweight rower at Princeton, Davis spent four seasons with the Buckeyes, including the past year as the associate head coach, and was part of history, as OSU became the first NCAA openweight program to win three consecutive national titles in the first varsity eight race. In her new role with the Terriers, the West Chester, Pennsylvania, native will serve as head coach of the two-time national champion BU's openweight team and also oversee the lightweight squad.
"Following an extensive search that yielded a deep and talented candidate pool, we are excited to have Madeline take over the reins of our oldest women's varsity program," said Marrochello. "She has tremendous experience at academically elite institutions while having championship-level success at three different Division I programs as a student-athlete and coach. Madeline is widely regarded as a rising star in collegiate rowing coaching circles and is poised to provide our student-athletes with a first-class experience at Boston University."
This past season, the reigning Big Ten champion Buckeyes finished fifth at the NCAA Championships with the varsity eight boat winning the Petite Final and the second varsity eight boat placing fourth in its Grand Final race. Sophomore Ida Kruse earned her first All-America First Team honor while senior Stephanie Williams was named to the second team. In total, Davis has helped rowers claim a combined 24 All-America accolades since receiving the award herself at Princeton in 2009.
"I am honored and excited by the opportunity to serve as the director of women's rowing at Boston University," said Davis. "BU is a world-class educational institution situated alongside a premier rowing venue in America's best rowing town. I'm greatly looking forward to meeting the team and working hard to lead BU women's rowing to consistent championship performances on the water, in the classroom and in life.
"I'd like to thank [director of athletics] Drew Marrochello, [senior associate director of athletics] Bethany Ellis, [deputy director of athletics] Dan Satter and [associate director of athletics] Aaron Aaker for this incredible opportunity," she added. "I'd also like to thank [Ohio State head coach] Andy Teitelbaum, [OSU associate director of athletics] Janine Oman and everyone else at Ohio State for their mentorship and support. I look forward to working closely with [women's lightweight rowing head coach] Malcolm Doldron, [men's rowing head coach] Tom Bohrer and all the coaches and rowers at BU to support a strong, successful environment at the DeWolfe Boathouse."
During her third season in Columbus, the 1V8 knocked off California in the Grand Final in the NCAAs with a time of 6:19.04 to defeat the Bears by more than two seconds. Davis was also instrumental in helping Ohio State securing its fourth-straight conference title with wins from the 1V8, 2V8, 1V4 and 3V4 boats.
In her second season with the Buckeyes in 2015, Ohio State became the first team in NCAA rowing history to win three consecutive national titles. Along with their historic third team title, the Buckeyes also claimed an individual national title in the 1V8, a runner-up finish from the Davis-coached 2V8 and fifth place in the 1V4. OSU also earned a third consecutive Big Ten title and conference-record sixth overall, winning six of seven events at the conference's championship regatta.
The Buckeyes also won a national team title in Davis' debut season on the coaching staff. With gold-medal finishes in the 1V8 and 2V8, the Buckeyes became the fourth team in NCAA history to win both events at the national regatta in the same year.
Davis previously served as the assistant lightweight women's rowing coach at Stanford where the lightweight varsity eight boat captured three consecutive national titles (2011-13) and nine student-athletes earned All-America honors. She also coached three lightweight boats with the 2013 U.S. Under-23 National Team and helped them qualify for the U23 World Rowing Championships held in Linz, Austria.
Prior to her time with Stanford and the U.S. National Team, Davis spent a season as the head coach at The Hun School of Princeton in New Jersey. While there, she coached the V4+ to an undefeated dual season and its first invitation to the U.S. Rowing Youth National Championships in nearly a decade. Davis also assisted with coaching duties for the Mercer Junior Rowing Club and the Carnegie Lake Rowing Association.
An experienced lightweight rower at both the collegiate and international level, Davis served as Princeton's team captain her senior year and left as Eastern Sprints and IRA champion. Following graduation, the All-American competed for the U.S. National Team at the U23 World Rowing Championships in the Lightweight 2x.
Davis will now inherit a Boston University women's rowing program that was elevated to varsity status in 1973 and won back-to-back national titles in 1991 and 1992. Since the NCAA began holding its own national championship regatta in 1997, the Terriers have advanced as a team to the event five times, including most recently in 2013 and 2014.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT MADELINE DAVIS
"This is an exciting time for Madeline, and even more exciting for BU. To have one of the most talented young coaches in America leading your program is a rare moment. The athletes, administrators and alumni of Boston University are extremely lucky to be calling her their Director of Rowing."
– Andy Teitelbaum, Head Coach of Women's Rowing, Ohio State University
"Madeline made an immediate impact on the program at Ohio State when she arrived, and I would expect her to do the same in her new role as Director of Rowing at Boston University. She brings great passion, a strong work ethic, and a desire for success to the BU Terriers. I am sad to see her leave, but I am excited to watch her continued growth as a leader in the collegiate rowing community."
– Janine Oman, Executive Associate Athletics Director – Student Services and Sport Administration, Ohio State University
"Madeline Davis has helped build and sustain national championship teams at Princeton, Stanford and Ohio State. She knows how to make boats go fast, and more importantly she has a clear understanding of what kind of team culture is required to get to the podium and stay there. Boston University made the perfect choice in hiring Coach Davis to lead its women's rowing team."
– Al Acosta, Head Coach of Women's Rowing, University of California - Berkeley (former Stanford women's lightweight rowing head coach)
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