Eileen Russell Joins Dartmouth as Assistant Women’s Rowing Coach

Big news for Dartmouth Women’s Rowing: Eileen Russell steps in as the new assistant coach for the 2025-26 season. John Graves, the Elizabeth C. McNabb Head Coach of Women’s Rowing, shared the announcement and couldn’t hide his excitement about adding Russell to the team.

Russell comes with serious credentials from Williams College. There, she played a key role in leading the rowing team to several NCAA Championship appearances.

Let’s take a look at Russell’s background, her accomplishments, and what she might bring to the future of Dartmouth Women’s Rowing.

Meet Eileen Russell: Dartmouth’s New Assistant Women’s Rowing Coach

Russell’s journey to Dartmouth starts with her standout years at Williams College in Williamstown, Mass. She served as an assistant coach for the Ephs, helping guide the team to four straight NCAA Championship appearances.

The team notched two fifth-place finishes, a third, and even a second-place finish under her watch. Russell has a knack for developing both seasoned rowers and total newcomers, which says a lot about her coaching chops.

Coaching Achievements at Williams College

At Williams, Russell wasn’t just coaching—she was handling travel, organizing meals, and managing the team’s budget. Her organizational skills and commitment to her athletes really came through in these extra roles.

During her time there, the team achieved:

• Four consecutive NCAA Championship appearances
• Two fifth-place finishes
• One third-place finish
• One second-place finish

Russell’s Rowing Career and Educational Background

Before coaching, Russell was a standout student-athlete at Williams herself. She earned a bachelor’s degree in classical languages and racked up plenty of rowing accolades along the way.

Her college rowing highlights include:

• Winning the women’s collegiate eight at the Head of the Charles in her first year
• Winning the women’s varsity eight at the NESCAC/NIRC in her first year
• Winning the NCAA Tournament in the women’s varsity eight during her sophomore year
• Being named CRCA Pocock All-America Division III second team in her sophomore year
• Being named CRCA Pocock All-America Division III first team in her junior year
• Serving as team captain in her senior year

Advanced Education and Additional Experience

After graduating, Russell went on to earn a Master’s in Athletic Leadership from Clemson University, finishing up in December 2024. She seems pretty committed to growing both personally and professionally.

She also spent summers as a whitewater rafting guide, picking up even more leadership and teamwork experience in a totally different setting. That’s the kind of thing you don’t always see on a coach’s resume.

Impact on Dartmouth Women’s Rowing

Russell joins Dartmouth Women’s Rowing at a high point. The team just wrapped up a historic 2025 season, landing fourth in both the varsity eight and total team points at the Ivy League Championship.

That performance earned them an at-large spot in the NCAA Championship, where they finished 16th. There’s real momentum here, and Russell’s arrival feels like it could help push things even further.

John Graves’ Enthusiasm for Russell’s Appointment

John Graves, the head coach, sounds genuinely thrilled about Russell joining the staff. He pointed to her deep knowledge of rowing, her grasp of team dynamics, and her passion for developing student-athletes as big reasons for bringing her on board.

Graves said, *Throughout the interview process, I was impressed with Eileen’s knowledge of the sport, understanding of team dynamics, and passion for the holistic development of student-athletes.*

*By all accounts, Eileen was a rising star at Williams and I feel very excited to be a part of her next chapter in her coaching development. Welcome to the Woods, Eileen!*

Russell’s Vision for Dartmouth Women’s Rowing

Russell herself is clearly excited to join Dartmouth. She mentioned that her conversations with Coach Graves and the team showed her that DWR is a community with big goals and the drive to chase them.

She’s eager to help student-athletes reach their highest potential—on the water and in the classroom. In her words: *I am so excited to be joining the staff at Dartmouth Rowing.*

*All of my conversations with Coach Graves and members of the team have demonstrated that DWR is a community of people with lofty goals and the drive to go after them. I’m thrilled to be joining a program that will support my professional mission of developing student-athletes to their highest potential on the water and in the classroom.*