CRCA Coach and Staff of the Year

STANFORD, Calif. - After leading the Cardinal to its first team national championship since 2009, Stanford women's rowing head coach Derek Byrnes has been named the Division I National Coach of the Year, announced by the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA) on Thursday. Additionally, Byrnes' coaching staff of Alben Family Associate Head Women's Rowing Coach Molly Hamrick and assistant coaches Sarah Dougherty and Megan Biging were collectively named the CRCA's Division I Staff of the Year. 

The 2023 season was Byrnes' best since coming to The Farm, leading the Cardinal to a national title while also earning the program's second consecutive Pac-12 Championship and his second consecutive Pac-12 Coach of the Year honor. 

Stanford totaled 129 points at the 2023 national title chase, bringing home national titles in the 1V8 and 2V8. The titles increased Stanford's all-time program total to four individual national champions, with its previous titles coming in the varsity eight (2009) and second varsity eight (2011). 

Since taking over the women's rowing program, Byrnes has led the Cardinal to six top-three finishes at the conference championship (including two consecutive conference championships) and six top-6 finishes at the NCAA Championships, including its national championship win and two national runner-up finishes (2021, 2022). 

The Coach and Staff of the Year awards are voted on by the membership of the CRCA and are intended to recognize head coaches whose teams have had outstanding success throughout the current season and have demonstrated a high level of professionalism and integrity as a coach.

CRCA 2023 National Coaches of the Year
D1- Derek Byrnes (Stanford)
D2- Matt Weise (Humboldt)
D3- Tessa Spillane (Wellesley) 
Lightweight -  Malcolm Doldron (Boston University)

Staff of the Year
D1- Stanford
D2-  Humboldt
D3- Wellesley
Lightweight -  Boston University