Eileen Russell begins her first season as assistant coach during the 2025-26 season.
Russell joins Dartmouth from Williams College in Williamstown, Mass. When coaching the Ephs, Russell helped lead the Williams rowing team to four straight NCAA Championship appearances. Under her leadership, the Ephs notched two fifth-place finishes, one third-place finish and one second-place finish.
Russell helped lead the experienced rowers, but also dedicated her time to instruct walk-on athletes how to row with little to no rowing experience. In addition, she managed all travel logistics, organized meals and oversaw the budget of the team.
“I am so excited to be joining the staff at Dartmouth Rowing,” said Russell. “All of my conversations with Coach Graves and members of the team have demonstrated that DWR is a community of people with lofty goals and the drive to go after them. I’m thrilled to be joining a program that will support my professional mission of developing student-athletes to their highest potential on the water and in the classroom.”
Before coaching at Williams, Russell was a four-year student athlete on the rowing team for the Ephs. She earned her bachelor’s in classical languages while raking up accolades on the water. In her first year on the team, the Ephs won the women’s collegiate eight at the Head of the Charles and the women’s varsity eight at the NESCAC/NIRC. Her sophomore year, the team won the NCAA Tournament in the women’s varsity eight and Russell was named CRCA Pocock All-America Division III second team. Her junior year, she was named CRCA Pocock All-America Division III first team, and she rounded out her decorated career as team captain her senior year.
After graduating from Williams, Russell went on to earn her Master’s in Athletic Leadership from Clemson University in December of 2024. In the summer, Russell has worked as a whitewater rafting guide.
Russell joins a women’s rowing team that enjoyed a historic 2025 season in finishing fourth in both the varsity eight, and in total team points at the Ivy League Championship, earning an at-large berth to the NCAA Championship. Dartmouth went on to place 16th at NCAAs.