East Lansing, Mich. -- Stacey Rippetoe has been named as the fourth rowing coach in Spartan program history, as announced by Michigan State Vice President and Director of Athletics Alan Haller.
Rippetoe brings a wealth of experience in building and guiding successful crews as both a head coach at Boston University and as a Division I assistant and recruiting coordinator at both Michigan State and Rhode Island. That wealth of experience she acquired over two decades translated into many of the key attributes that the Spartan athletic director was searching for in a new head coach.
"There are many reasons Stacey Rippetoe is the right coach to guide the next era of Spartan rowing," said Haller. "Her experience building a successful program at Boston University speaks to her ability as a recruiter and coach. Most recently, she has been the recruiting coordinator at Rhode Island, where she has been involved in building their championship culture. Obviously, her time at Michigan State gives her some institutional knowledge, and she knows the values that we hold important. She was a large part of the most successful era of Spartan rowing as well, and her ties to both our local community and our alumni base give her a head start in establishing relationships upon her return. We're excited to have her back in East Lansing, and eager to watch the program's growth."
"I am extremely honored to be the next head rowing coach for Michigan State University," said the new Spartan mentor. "Since my last years on the Grand, I've drawn upon my previous Spartan experiences many times throughout the process of building competitive teams. I am looking forward to going fast in Green again!
"I want to thank everyone involved in bringing me back to East Lansing, especially Alan Haller, [Assistant Athletic Director] Jacquie Joseph, [Associate Athletic Director] Julee Burgess, and [Deputy Athletic Director] Jen Smith. I also want to thank all the extraordinary coaches and athletes I've had the privilege of working with over the past 26 years, as they have built my coaching strength and resilience as only teammates can for one another. I can't wait to get to work!"
Rippetoe previously spent eight seasons on the Michigan State rowing staff (2000-08) and returns to East Lansing from the University of Rhode Island, where she was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator.
During her time at MSU, Rippetoe spent her first six seasons as an assistant coach and was then promoted to associate head coach prior to the 2007 season. In that position, Rippetoe served as both the novice coach and the primary recruiting coordinator for the Green and White. Rippetoe was a true asset to the MSU rowing family during that time and was honored as the CRCA Central Region Assistant Coach of the Year in 2007.
Throughout her tenure and in the years immediately after her departure, Rippetoe's coaching and recruiting prowess was a vital part of the success Michigan State enjoyed on the water. While on staff, the Spartans made seven NCAA Championship regattas, finishing a program-best sixth in both 2006 and 2008 (and again in 2011). MSU finished lower than third at the Big Ten Championships just once (fourth place in 2004) and won Big Ten Championships in 2005 and again in 2008 (the first of back-to-back championships and four consecutive Varsity Eight gold medals at the conference regatta).
MSU had six first-team All-Americans and an additional four second-team selections, as well as 23 All-Central Region (either first or second team) picks. MSU earned 27 selections to the Big Ten first or second team during her time in East Lansing and boasted three Big Ten Athletes of the Year and four Big Ten Freshmen of the Year.
MSU also excelled both on the water and in the classroom in that period, as the Spartans earned 136 selections to the Academic All-Big Ten team and 15 to the CRCA National Scholar-Athlete team.
In addition to embracing her role with the MSU varsity squad, one of Rippetoe's most notable accomplishments at MSU is the "We Can Row" program that she helped launch in 2002. "We Can Row" teaches breast cancer survivors how to row. The program is also a study to measure the value of exercise in breast cancer survivors. Lansing's chapter of "We Can Row" is home to the Pink Ribbon Crew. As part of the program, Rippetoe worked with the Pink Ribbon Crew to emphasize goals that are centered on self-image enhancement and team support for women who are making the transition from being patients to being survivors. The focus is on developing a strong and healthy body, becoming an active participant in one's recovery from breast cancer, asserting control over one's body, rediscovering the joy of movement and playing a fundamental part in a mutually empowering recovery team. MSU student-athletes volunteered as coaches for this program.
Rippetoe comes back to East Lansing after four seasons as the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Rhode Island, where she helped the Rams capture a pair of Atlantic 10 titles in 2021 and 2022 and a runner-up finish in 2023. The Rams boasted 12 All-Conference selections in each of the last three seasons, and the URI staff (under head coach Shelagh Donohoe) was the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA) Region 1 Staff of the Year. It was her second stint on the staff, as she was also an assistant coach with the Rams from 1997-2000. Rippetoe also gained coaching experience as an associate coach of the Narragansett Boat Club during the summers of 1999 and 2000, and she served as head coach of Navesink River Rowing from 1997-1998 as well.
Rippetoe was the head coach at Boston University from 2008-17. During her tenure, the Terriers qualified for the NCAA Championships in 2013 and 2014 thanks to conference titles in the CAA and Patriot League, respectively. A three-time conference coach of the year, Rippetoe guided BU boats to six Eastern Sprints medals, including three in 2012. In her four seasons coaching in the Patriot League, she guided her team to a title in its initial season in 2014 and was second in both of her final two seasons on the Charles, in 2016 and 2017. The Terriers had a total of 23 All-Patriot League selections, and three times in her four Patriot League seasons the Terrier varsity eight was the Boat of the Year. While at Boston University, she also started the school's lightweight rowing program and formed a connection with her squad and the Boston WeCanRow program.
Prior to her second stint at Rhode Island, Rippetoe served as an assistant coach at Division III Wellesley College, (2017-19), assisting head coach Tessa Spillane in guiding the Blue to second- and third-place finishes at the NCAA Championship regatta in her two seasons.
An Oakhurst, N.J., native, Rippetoe earned her bachelor's degree in biological sciences in 1997 from Rutgers University, where her team finished sixth at the inaugural NCAA Championship. She earned her master's degree in kinesiology, with an emphasis in sports psychology, from Michigan State in 2006.
