Kate Sweeney, head coach of the Ohio State rowing team over the last four years, resigned on Wednesday according to a press release from the OSU Department of Athletics.
A member of the coaching staff for eight seasons, Sweeney will complete the year with the NCAA Championship regatta this weekend at Lake Bethel, Ohio.
“I have made the difficult decision to step away from coaching to be more present for my family,” Sweeney said in a statement. “Ohio State rowing has been instrumental in my life since I was 18 years old. It has been a true privilege to be a part of this program for so long.
“I am so grateful to Gene Smith and Janine Oman for this opportunity. All the assistant coaches and support staff have been incredibly supportive and excellent to work with, and I will miss spending time with them. Lastly, and most importantly, I want to thank the student-athletes for their devotion and contributions to Ohio State rowing.”
During her four seasons as head coach, Ohio State won a Big Ten title in 2022 – the program’s 10th – and had Big Ten runner-up finishes in 2021 and 2023 in addition to a fourth-place finish in 2024.
Sweeney was named Big Ten Coach of the Year in 2022, and Ohio State advanced to the NCAA championships all four seasons under Sweeney. The Buckeyes finished sixth in 2021, eighth in 2022, and 12th in 2023.
Ohio State will appear in its 24th NCAA Championship Regatta when racing gets underway Friday in Bethel, Ohio. For more on the event, including where to watch and how to follow along, go to: https://t.co/dPZcXflwtO#GoBucks
— Ohio State Rowing (@OhioStateWROW) May 28, 2024
“We are so appreciative of Kate’s leadership and support of our rowing student-athletes,” Janine Oman, Ohio State Senior Deputy Director of Athletics, said in the statement. “She has been a wonderful developer of young women. We wish Kate well as she embarks on her next journey, and we are excited that she can enjoy more time with her family.”
The search for a new head coach will begin immediately according to the release from Ohio State.