Stacey Rippetoe returns for her ninth season at the helm of the Boston University women's rowing program. Named head coach on Sept. 3, 2008, Rippetoe has been named conference coach of the year three of the last four seasons, winning CAA honors in 2013 and taking home the Patriot League accolade in 2014 and 2016.
Last season, Rippetoe led the Terriers’ varsity eight boat to a gold medal performance at the Patriot League Championships and a second-place overall team finish. The Terriers advanced all three boats to the grand finals, won gold and bronze medals and missed winning the 2016 PL championship by one point.
In 2014-15, Rippetoe led the Terriers to a No. 1 Patriot League preseason ranking. Coming off back-to-back conference championships and two consecutive trips the NCAA Championships, the Terriers opened the season with victories over Buffalo and URI. In the Patriot League Championships, the Terriers advanced all three boats to the grand finals and won two bronze medals.
During the 2013-14 season, Rippetoe led the Terriers to the Patriot League Championship in their first season competing in the PL, and a second-consecutive appearance at the NCAA Championships. Other season highlights included a fifth-place team finish at EAWRC Sprints Championships and dual season victories over URI, Buffalo, Rutgers and Bucknell.
Rippetoe's 2012-13 campaign was equally as impressive. She led to Terriers to a CAA Championship in their final season competing in the conference as the Terriers earned a team appearance in the NCAA Championships for the first time since 2001.
Other season highlights from 2012-13 include Boston University finishing third overall at the Eastern Sprints, ahead of crews from Northeastern, Navy, Buffalo, BC, Georgetown, Holy Cross, UMass, MIT and Rutgers. The Terriers also recorded dual season victories over URI, BC, MIT, Buffalo and Eastern Michigan.
Her fourth year at BU was a landmark year as the Terriers became a member of the Colonial Athletic Association, joining their first-ever NCAA-affiliated conference. BU made its presence felt as the lone team to medal in all three races at the CAA Championship with silver in the varsity eight and varsity four races along with a bronze in the second varsity eight race.
Other season highlights included a third-place finish at the Eastern Sprints with the Terriers beating out Atlantic 10 champion Rhode Island, Patriot League champion Bucknell, Navy and six other schools. During the spring season, BU claimed the Council Cup against Northeastern for the first time since 2005 and retained possession of the Kittell Cup against Syracuse. Also, for the second time in three years, the Terriers claimed gold at the Head of the Charles with a first-place result in the club four race.
In 2010-11, BU reclaimed the Kittell Cup on the Charles River and defeated No. 20 Louisville during the Charles River Challenge. The third varsity eight boat capped the season by winning the Petite Final at the Eastern Sprints.
In the 2009-10 season, the Terriers earned their first-ever medal at the Head of the Charles with the best collegiate time in the championship 4+ race. Other highlights include the varsity eight boat sweeping through the competition at the University of Indiana's Dale England Cup and all five boats finishing in the top 12 at the Eastern Sprints.
Prior to taking the reins at BU, Rippetoe 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 Championships regatta. She spent eight years with the Spartans, including the last two as the associate head coach.
In this role she served as the novice team's head coach and as the entire program's recruiting coordinator. She also was an assistant coach for six years. MSU qualified to race in the NCAA Championships in seven of the eight years.
MSU had a banner year for the program in 2008, capturing Big Ten and Central Region team championships en route to tying its best-ever finishes at the NCAA Championship for the varsity fours and eights. The varsity fours placed fifth and the varsity eights finished sixth, while the second varsity took 10th overall and was fourth in the petite final.
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.
Before joining the MSU crew program, Rippetoe spent three years serving as novice coach for the University of Rhode Island women's crew team. At Rhode Island, Rippetoe's duties included recruiting and coaching the beginner rowers, as well as assisting the head coach with the varsity squad.
Rippetoe also gained coaching experience as the associate coach of the Narragansett Boat Club during the summers of 1999 and 2000. She served as head coach of Navesink River Rowing from 1997-1998 as well.
In addition to embracing her role with the MSU varsity squad, one of Rippetoe's most notable accomplishments at MSU is the "We Can Row" program that she launched in Lansing, Mich., in 2002.
"We Can Row", which is based on the "Row as One" camp in Boston, teaches breast cancer survivors how to row. The program is also a study to measure the value of exercise in breast cancer survivors. Lansing's chapter of "We Can Row" is home to the Pink Ribbon Crew team.
With the program now at BU, Rippetoe works with the Pink Ribbon Crew to emphasize goals that are centered on self-image enhancement and team support for women who are making the transition from being patients to being survivors. The focus is on developing a strong and healthy body, becoming an active participant in one's recovery from breast cancer, asserting control over one's body, rediscovering the joy of movement and playing a fundamental part in a mutually empowering recovery team.
An Oakhurst, N.J., native, Rippetoe earned her bachelor's degree in biological sciences in 1997 from Rutgers University, where her team finished sixth at the inaugural NCAA Championship. She earned her master's degree in kinesiology, with an emphasis in sports psychology, from Michigan State in 2006.
