Then assistant coach, now head coach Emily Gackowski rests by one of the boats during the NCAA Championship in Pennsauken, New Jersey in May 2023. Credit: Ohio State Athletics
Ohio State’s rowing team will look a lot different in 2024.
Since Emily Gackowski was named the new head coach June 25, the program has hired five new assistants in a season where 75% of the staff is in its first year.
Gackowski said becoming a head coach wasn’t the plan for her, but when the opportunity presented itself, she felt comfortable enough to take over at the helm of the program because of her familiarity with Ohio State.
“It seemed like really good timing, having experience with the program and knowing where they had been and where we wanted to go,” Gackowski said. “So, it was an easy step.”
After previously coaching at USC in 2019, Gackowski said it was the intense competitiveness at Ohio State that ultimately led her back.
“Having rowed for Indiana University, Ohio State was one of the most competitive teams when I was in college,” Gackowski said. “When I had the opportunity to come back and work full time with the program, it was a no-brainer because it’s a great place to live, to work and a great team to be a part of.”
As she transitions from assistant to head coach, Gackowski said there are differences, but the ultimate goal of winning and building the most competitive team remains the same.
“With my job last year, I was more on the repair side of things and a supporting role,” Gackowski said. “That’s a big shift from being an assistant coach who gets to ask those questions to being the person that has to answer those questions, but in the sense that you’re looking to build the most competitive team, that’s the same.”
However, Gackowski isn’t the only one stepping into a new role.
This offseason, Gadiowski hired five new assistant coaches who will work alongside her.
Mari Sundbo, an assistant coach hired July 29, said the connection she felt to coach Gakowski’s philosophies about managing the Buckeyes’ long-term success played a big role in her joining the program.
“I want to help Ohio State get back to a place where we are at the top of the Big Ten and at the top of the NCAA,” Sundbo said. “So, it felt like a really good fit.”
Fellow assistant coach Ben Davison said Gackowski’s staff recruitment is impressive, noting how every coach brings their own expertise to the program.
“So far, I’ve had a great time fitting into the coaching staff and meeting all the athletes,”
Davison said. “Emily [Gadowski], has done a fantastic job of hiring an entirely new staff where everyone sort of has an expertise that brings a lot to the table through various experiences and backgrounds.”
Gadowski said having a slew of assistants allows for a variety of different coaching styles to come together and create a solid team.
“Altogether, there are seven full-time coaches, which is great,” Gackowski said. “I think everybody brings something different to the table, which creates a well-rounded staff.”
As the team prepares to transition into the regular season, Gackowski said she is looking forward to the beginning of a new opportunity.
“I am very excited for the season, which is the thing I would mostly take away from the fall,” Gackowski said. “It’s been a lot of fun working with the team and working with coaches.”
