Kate Sweeney served as Ohio State’s assistant rowing coach since 2016. | Courtesy of Ohio State Athletics
After being named interim head coach in March, Kate Sweeney was named women’s rowing head coach Monday.
Sweeney filled the vacancy left by former head coach Andy Teitelbaum, who was fired in March after an investigation revealed he dismissed the mental health concerns of his student-athletes. Before taking on the head coaching position, Sweeney served as a women’s assistant rowing coach since August 2016.
“Ohio State has always held a special place in my heart,” Sweeney said in a press release. “Both of my parents are alumni of Moritz College of Law, my grandfather was an Ohio State chemical engineering professor for many years and I’m a proud member of the class of 2012. I’m incredibly honored to be afforded the opportunity to lead this program that means so much to so many amazing women.”
Sweeney previously held a volunteer assistant position at the University of California-Berkeley for the 2016 season, a season in which the Golden Bears claimed the national championship. She also spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Indiana University, where she helped the Hoosiers to back-to-back 11th-place finishes at the NCAA championships in 2014 and 2015.
Sweeney spent her collegiate rowing career at Ohio State from 2009-12, where she was a member of the 2012 team that finished fifth at the NCAA championships and was a Big Ten Champion in 2011.
Janine Oman, Ohio State deputy director of athletics, said she was excited to have Sweeney assume the role.
“Her familiarity with the program both as an assistant coach and as a former student athlete makes her the right leader for the program,” Oman said in the release. “Kate has been part of championship teams here at Ohio State. She knows the program history well and is eager to continue to build on those successes.”
