Áine Ley '26 Named to Women's Rowing Coaching Staff; Eileen Russell Promoted to First Assistant

HANOVER, N.H. – John Graves, the Elizabeth C. McNabb Head Coach of Women's Rowing, has announced the hiring of former Big Green athlete Áine Ley '26 as an assistant coach. Additionally, Eileen Russell has been elevated to first assistant coach.

"Áine has been an incredible ally to me throughout the last three years as we've built this program," Graves said. "She has redefined the standards on our team, and I expect her to continue to do so as a coach. No one has a clearer understanding of how to balance elite rowing and Ivy League academics than Áine, and she will be an amazing role model for our team."

Ley steps directly into the role after graduating from Dartmouth in June 2026 with a bachelor's degree in English and Hispanic Studies, transitioning from the Big Green's roster to its coaching staff. As a four-year member of the varsity eight and team captain, she helped lead Dartmouth to a fourth-place finish at the 2025 Ivy League Championship and the program's first NCAA Championship appearance since 2011. In her final season with the Big Green, Ley raced in the first varsity eight all year, helping the boat earn a bronze medal at Women's Sprints and led the team to fourth in at the Ivy League Championships. The finish marked the highest finish the team has had in the NCAA era. This summer, Ley also raced at the Henley Royal Regatta, representing Dartmouth for the first time in program history.

Ley's Dartmouth career was defined by success both on the water and in the classroom. She was a two-time First Team All-Ivy selection, a two-time Academic All-Ivy honoree, and a Second Team All-Ivy pick, and she earned a 2025 College Rowing Coaches Association All-America Honorable Mention. In 2026, she received the Julia H. Geer Award, given to the woman who has made the most significant contribution to rowing at Dartmouth, as well as the Thaddeus Seymour Rowing Award, given to the undergraduate who has made the greatest contribution to rowing at Dartmouth College. She was also a 2024 recipient of the Class of 1990 Award, given to the underclassman who strives to excel on the water as an oarsman and off the water as a teammate and a friend, and a 2023 recipient of the Martha Beattie '76 Award, given to the outstanding freshman oarswoman.

Internationally, Ley is a two-time silver medalist representing the United States at the World Rowing Under-23 Championships, medaling in 2024 in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, and again in 2025 in Poznań, Poland.

Russell's elevation to first assistant coach comes after a standout first season on the Dartmouth staff. In 2025-26, she coached the third varsity eight to a silver medal at Women's Sprints, a result that contributed significantly to the team's second-place overall finish at the regatta.

"Our team is in a very important phase, and what we need most from our staff right now is continuity." Graves explained. "I feel excited that both Eileen and Áine understand the identity we're trying to build as a team, and that gives us the ability to make progress from day one."