By Danielle Daniels
June 25, 2024
Has spent the last five seasons on staff as an assistant coach leading the novice team
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Emily Gackowski has been selected as the next head coach of the Ohio State rowing program, Janine Oman, senior deputy director of athletics and senior women’s administrator, announced today. Gackowski has agreed to a five-year contract.
“We’re thrilled to promote Emily Gackowski to lead our rowing program,” said Oman. “She’s earned this opportunity, not only through the good work she’s done as assistant coach and the personal connections she’s made with our student-athletes and staff, but also because of her long-range vision for the program.”
“I am very excited for Ohio State rowing,” said Senior Advisor for Intercollegiate Athletics Ross Bjork. “Emily has a wonderful spirit for Ohio State University and this program, and the future is bright under her leadership.”
For the last five years, Gackowski has served as an assistant coach for the Buckeyes. In that time, Ohio State has won a Big Ten championship and appeared in the NCAA Championships each season that it’s been held. The Buckeyes have two top-10 national finishes during Gackowski tenure on staff.
“I’m honored and humbled by the chance to lead the Ohio State rowing program,” said Gackowski. “I’m appreciative to Janine Oman and Ross Bjork for their belief in me and I am looking forward to the opportunity to build upon the legacy of success this program is known for both academically and athletically.”
Gackowski has served as Ohio State’s novice coach since she came to Columbus for the 2019-20 season. In 2022, the Buckeyes won their 10th Big Ten title in program history and finished eighth at the NCAA Championships. The 2022 1V4 finished second nationally with the 1V8 ending the season seventh and the 2V8, eighth overall.
As a volunteer assistant coach for the Buckeyes in 2018, Gackowski helped Ohio State sweep the Big Ten Championships enroute to its sixth-consecutive conference crown. She then was hired at the University of Southern California for the 2018-19 campaign before returning to Columbus at the conclusion of that season.
Gackowski’s rowing career began as a novice at Indiana University. In her first year at Indiana, the rowing program saw its first NCAA appearance. In the years following, Gackowski earned podium finishes at each Big Ten Championship and second team All-America honors in 2017 as a senior.
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