Nancy LaRocque Named Head Coach of Women's Rowing

HANOVER, N.H. – Dartmouth Director of Athletics and Recreation Harry Sheehy has announced the hiring of Nancy LaRocque as the new head coach of women's rowing.

"It is my great pleasure to welcome Nancy to the Big Green athletic family, the college and community at large," Sheehy said. "She brings a terrific rowing background as a competitor and coach. Her passion and enthusiasm for working with student-athletes makes her a great fit for our team and college. I am looking forward to watching her move our program forward, and I believe the future of Dartmouth women's rowing is bright."

LaRocque (La-ROAK) has made quite a name for herself in the rowing world. She has spent 17 seasons coaching collegiate women, the last seven of which were at the University of Wisconsin.

Hired in August of 2013, LaRocque spent two seasons as the Badgers' freshman rowing coach before being promoted to associate head coach and recruiting coordinator in 2015, a position she had held for the past five years.

While at Wisconsin, she helped guide the Badgers to six NCAA Championship appearances. The team finished as high as ninth place twice (2016, 2017), while also finishing in the top-15 five years in a row. She coached the 2017 second Varsity 8+ to a sixth-place finish.

Prior to arriving in Madison, LaRocque built up a long list of credentials: she was the assistant rowing coach at the University of Tennessee (2009-10), the head rowing coach at West Virginia University, where she directed the startup of a new Division I program which achieved national rankings within three years (2000-07), and the freshman/interim head coach at Vassar (1998-2000).

"I am incredibly excited and honored to have been given the opportunity to lead the women of Dartmouth rowing," LaRocque said. "I want to thank Athletic Director Harry Sheehy for bringing me on board and for his commitment to the growth and success of this program. The passion that Dartmouth College and the Friends of Dartmouth Rowing have is clearly expressed in the beautiful, world-class facilities on the Connecticut River. I am ready to build connections with the women of Dartmouth rowing, both present and past."

LaRocque currently serves as President of the Board of Directors of the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA), which recently formulated a Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to engage the coaching body in those challenges.

"I am 100% committed to creating opportunities and an environment where athletes of all backgrounds will feel welcomed, embraced, and loved by the Dartmouth community," LaRocque added.

The Dover, New Hampshire, native graduated from UMass Amherst in 1997 with a degree in legal studies and anthropology. While there, her team won three consecutive Atlantic 10 Championship titles.

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING
"While the Badger family is sad to see Nancy go, we are excited to see her return to a head coaching role and lead the Dartmouth women. She is a fantastic role model and mentor, a wonderful person to work with, as well as a talented rowing coach. I know that she will lead Dartmouth rowing to even more success." – Bebe Bryans, Wisconsin Women's Rowing Head Coach

"The student-athletes, staff and administration at Dartmouth are so lucky to have the opportunity to work with Nancy. I've been lucky to know her for 20 years. Just wait; you will all see what a joy of a person you get to work with. She is a great leader, a great teacher and coach, and a great friend." – Jim Mitchell, Wisconsin Women's Rowing Assistant Coach

"I couldn't be more pleased for both Nancy and the Dartmouth women's rowing program. Nancy is an incredible leader and I'm confident that the outstanding students at Dartmouth will benefit from not only her strength of knowledge, but her strength of character. She carries with her the highest respect of the rowing community and I'm excited to see the impact she has with the Big Green. Athletic Director Sheehy and his search committee have tapped an amazing person to lead their women's rowing program, so I'd like to offer my congratulations to both Nancy and everyone involved in selecting her as the new head coach." – Andrew Carter, Iowa Women's Rowing Head Coach

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