The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
07.07.2022 | Rowing
Texas Rowing head coach Dave O’Neill was named National Coach of the Year and the staff earned Staff of the Year honors for the second consecutive year.
AUSTIN, Texas – For the second consecutive year, Texas Rowing head coach Dave O'Neill was named the Division I National Coach of the Year, while the staff was recognized as the Division I National Staff of the Year, the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA) announced on Thursday. O'Neill is the first head coach to earn CRCA national coach of the year accolades in back-to-back years and his five career awards at the most all time.
This season, O'Neill led the program to a second straight NCAA National Championship as well as a seventh consecutive Big 12 Conference title. The Longhorn staff was comprised of O'Neill, associate head coach Mary Lenington, assistant coaches Mara Allen and Nick Baker, director of operations Rachel Sander, boatman/rigger Spencer Kales, volunteer assistant coaches Gia Doonan and Hanna Luft, graduate assistant coach Sara Neaves and athletic trainer Laef Morris.
Texas scored 124 points at the NCAA Championship regatta with the First Varsity Eight winning the national title for the second year in a row.
O'Neill has been tabbed Coach of the Year a record five times, having previously earned the distinction with Texas in 2015 and 2021, and California in 1999 and 2005. His three awards at Texas match the most for a head coach at one program, equaling the three John Murphy earned at Brown (2000, 2004, 2008).
During O'Neill's seven seasons on the Forty Acres, Texas has won two NCAA crowns, recorded three top-two national showings and four top-three finishes. The Longhorns have placed in the top-eight in all seven of his seasons at UT.
For Lenington and Allen, the honor marked the third time they have been recognized by the CRCA after previously winning the Staff of the Year award with Texas in 2015 and 2021. Baker, Sander, Kales, Luft and Morris were members of the 2021 staff and received the honor for the second time in their careers.
Texas was the top-ranked team throughout the year and with the three championship boats going undefeated during the regular season and through the heats of the NCAA Championships. During the Longhorns traveled west to California, north to Michigan and east to Princeton, New Jersey. Additionally, Texas hosted a pair of events – the Longhorn Invite and Big 12 Championships.
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 2022 National Coaches of the Year
Division I: Dave O'Neill, Texas
Division I Lightweight: Madison Keaty, Stanford
Division II: Adrian Sparklin, Mercyhurst
Division III: Tessa Spillane, Wellesley College
CRCA 2022 National Staffs of the Year
Division I: Texas
Division II: Mercyhurst
Division III: Wellesley College
Most CRCA National Coach of the Year Honors
1. Dave O'Neill (Cal, Texas) – 5
2. John Murphy (Brown) – 3
Yasim Farooq (Stanford, Washington) – 3
4. Lori Dauphiny (Princeton) – 2
Kevin Sauer (Virginia) – 2
Al Acosta (Cal) – 2
