Coach Carol Schoenecker leads both the men’s and women’s varsity teams with remarkable dedication, coaching more than 70 athletes while creating a culture rooted in hard work, compassion, and genuine team spirit. She works tirelessly, from early mornings to late evenings, showing up every day with the same positive energy, patience, and commitment to helping every rower grow, no matter their skill level or background. Her leadership has rebuilt and transformed the program after difficult post-COVID years, elevating performance across every boat class while fostering an inclusive, supportive environment where athletes feel valued and inspired. Carol’s exceptional ability to develop both competitive excellence and personal character makes her the foundation of RIT Rowing and the reason the team has seen continuous improvement year after year. Her unwavering dedication, selflessness, and profound impact on her athletes make her deeply deserving of Coach of the Year.

Coach Carol Terryberry has led our team through an extraordinary year of growth and transition, building a culture rooted in hard work, strong character, and genuine camaraderie. Despite being based in an economically challenged community with limited resources, she has recruited, trained, and inspired young athletes to compete and win at regional and national regattas against powerhouse programs from across the country. Under her leadership, many of our rowers are now being recruited by top universities such as Clemson, Stanford, MIT, and the University of Michigan. Carol’s dedication also brought major improvements to our home venue, including securing funding for and installing a 1500-meter lane line system that earned praise at its first regatta. Her tireless efforts to rebuild the program, elevate our competitive results, and strengthen our identity make her deeply deserving of JL’s 2025 Coach of the Year.

Coach Cesar Herrera is one of the most respected and accomplished rowing coaches in the United States, bringing with him an extraordinary career that includes competing for Cuba in the 1976 and 1980 Olympics and coaching national teams across multiple countries. His leadership has transformed the Miami Rowing Club into a nationally recognized powerhouse, producing youth national titles, regional champions, and graduating athletes who go on to row at top universities every year. His dedication extends far beyond competitive success. He invests deeply in his athletes’ character, resilience, and growth, preparing them not just for racing but for life. For seven years, he served as a mentor of unparalleled influence, personally guiding rowers through international regattas and believing in their potential long before they believed in themselves. As he nears the culmination of his remarkable coaching career, Coach Cesar’s impact, legacy, and lifelong commitment to developing exceptional athletes and exceptional people make him profoundly deserving of Coach of the Year.

Coach Kemp Savage exemplifies everything a great coach should be: a leader, visionary, and mentor who truly cares about his athletes as people. Under his guidance, Eastern Michigan rowing has achieved some of the best results in program history, while he has simultaneously advanced the sport by helping bring women’s rowing into the MAC and leading EMU to host the first-ever MAC Championship. His influence extends nationally and internationally, from creating an Olympic-level course on Ford Lake to coaching the U.S. Women’s Eight to a gold medal at the 2024 World University Championships. What truly sets him apart is the genuine compassion he shows for his athletes, supporting them academically, personally, and athletically, and making each rower feel seen, valued, and protected. With his blend of competitive success, transformational leadership, and deep human care, Coach Kemp Savage is profoundly deserving of Coach of the Year.

Joe Richards consistently gives his best to every student-athlete, meeting each rower exactly where they are and translating his deep knowledge of the sport into clear, accessible guidance. He has an exceptional ability to reach athletes when something doesn’t quite make sense, patiently teaching the fundamentals while building confidence in both novices and developing rowers. Behind the scenes, Joe carries far more responsibility than the team ever sees, quietly doing the unrecognized work that keeps the program growing and moving forward. As a mentor, he supports and challenges his staff with genuine care, fostering their development while providing a safe, steady presence on even the toughest days. Though his team is still building toward national-level results, his impact on his athletes, his department, and his fellow coaches already reflects the excellence worthy of Coach of the Year.

Emma Dabinett is far more than a coach. She is a leader, visionary, and global advocate for women in sport, using her own journey from Great Britain’s national team to the University of Iowa to fuel her mission of access, equity, and opportunity. Through her work with Unbreakable Female Athlete, she has helped raise over $20,000 to keep girls in sport around the world, breaking down financial barriers and expanding access where opportunities for female athletes are limited. At Iowa, she is a cornerstone of the rowing program, blending elite athletic experience with exceptional emotional intelligence to create an environment where athletes grow not just as competitors, but as confident, capable women. Her impact reaches across continents as she works to ensure that no girl is forced to leave the sport she loves due to circumstance. Emma Dabinett is not only deserving of Coach of the Year, she is redefining what it means to be one, empowering athletes globally to stay in sport, keep dreaming, and continue to thrive.

Chris embodies what it means to be an exceptional coach, showing up every morning with energy, precision, and a detailed plan that pushes her athletes to become the strongest, most technically proficient rowers they can be. Her eye for detail is unmatched. She sees everything from blade work to posture to boat run—and explains corrections in ways that make sense, helping athletes improve with purpose. She treats her masters crew like a high-performance team, expecting their best while meeting each rower exactly where they are. Her care extends far beyond daily practice, from designing thoughtful weekly training focuses to rerigging entire borrowed boats at regattas so every athlete has exactly what they need to succeed. With her consistency, technical mastery, and unwavering belief in her athletes, Chris is profoundly deserving of JL Coach of the Year.

Coach Matt empowers, educates, and motivates a team of cancer survivors. Many rebuilding trust in their bodies, he meets each athlete with compassion, humor, and unwavering belief in their potential. He dedicates countless volunteer hours to helping every rower become the best version of themselves, pinpointing exactly what each person and each crew needs to grow faster, stronger, and more confident. His guidance has transformed the Survivor 8+ into a nationally recognized force, winning gold at the Head of the Charles for two consecutive years. Matt’s coaching extends beyond technique: his words and wisdom resonate far outside the boat, teaching athletes how to redefine success, dig in when conditions get tough, and carry resilience into their daily lives. With his rare blend of skill, generosity, and inspirational leadership, he is truly deserving of Coach of the Year.

Dr. Melissa Creighton exemplifies what it means to lead with skill, compassion, and vision, transforming every program she touches, from novice masters at Cortlandt Community Rowing Association to cadets at West Point and cancer survivors in the Survivor Rowing Network. She has created far more than teams; she has built communities of healing, growth, and belonging, seeing possibilities in athletes even when they struggle to see them in themselves. Her leadership reached national attention when she coached the Survivor Rowing Network’s first-ever entries at the Head of the Charles, preparing rowers (some only months out of treatment) for one of the world’s most challenging races. Melissa’s rare combination of technical mastery, motivational leadership, and deep personal commitment has made her indispensable to every squad she coaches. She doesn’t just deserve the JL Coach of the Year Award, she embodies everything it represents.

Pamela Hughes is the heart and soul of North Bay Rowing Club, having rebuilt the program from just a handful of post-COVID athletes into a nationally ranked team that has now medaled at Youth Nationals. She is one of the most supportive and knowledgeable coaches her athletes have ever worked with, creating a safe, positive environment where every rower feels seen, valued, and encouraged to grow. Her dedication is unmatched. She commits all her free time to the junior program, shows up for every athlete regardless of ability, and constantly studies new coaching methods to help them succeed. Pam’s coaching is transformative; she has shaped athletes not only into faster rowers but into more confident, responsible people. With her rare blend of strength, compassion, and inspiration, she is truly deserving of the JL 2025 Coach of the Year award.