ROCHESTER, N.Y. – RIT Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Jacqueline Nicholson announced Carol Schoenecker has been named Head Rowing Coach, Friday. Schoenecker will follow in the footsteps of program founder Jim Bodenstedt, who announced his retirement last month after 30 years of service to the program.
"After an extensive search, Carol rose to the top of our applicant pool because of her passion for developing the whole student-athlete," said Nicholson. "She has not only been able to improve how teams perform on the water with strong training strategies, but also by supporting strong culture-building strategies and vision setting off the water."
Schoenecker (pronounced SHAH-nuh-kur) spent six years at Division I Robert Morris, including two years as head coach from 2020-22 after being promoted from Assistant Coach/Head Novice Coach. She helped guide the Colonials to grand final at the 2019 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championships in the Varsity 8, Second Varsity 8 and Varsity 4, while the Second Varsity 8 also claimed bronze. Schoenecker received the 2022 USRowing Ernestine Bayer Award in recognition of outstanding contributions to women's rowing.
"I was drawn to RIT because of the institution's engagement and dedication to community," said Schoenecker. "I have been fortunate enough to work with admissions and financial aid through part of a collaborative college readiness space this past year, and the values-based push for supporting students through a multi-tiered approach focused on holistic success is something that I felt deeply within the RIT athletic department as well."
Schoenecker spent three years as an assistant coach at Duquesne from 2011 to 2014, coaching the Varsity 4 and Second Varsity 4 to third-place finishes at the Atlantic 10 Championships as well as the Novice 4 to bronze at the Dad Vail Regatta in Philadelphia.
Continued Schoenecker, "I'm looking forward to not only continuing to build a competitive program alongside current athletes and coaches, but expanding recruitment and access to rowing throughout the wider Rochester region as well."
Schoenecker has spent the last two seasons as an Assistant Volunteer Coach at the University of Rochester, helping coach the Yellowjacket men's varsity club crews to podium positions in the Varsity and Freshmen Fours at the Liberty League Championships. She has also served as the Head Novice and Modified Coach for the Brighton Rowing Club, working with local youth in 7-12th grades. Schoenecker previously served as the Head Masters Coach for the Three Rivers Rowing Association in her hometown of Pittsburgh.
"RIT is very lucky to have Carol as the head coach," said Robert Morris Assistant Rowing Coach Rachel Gress. "She is a coach that truly cares about the development of her athletes and she finds a way to have them care about and love rowing just as much as she does. Carol makes fast boats by learning their stories and working with their strengths. She is changing the rowing community for the better and is just getting started."
Earning a bachelor's degree in history and classics from Bucknell in 2011, Schoenecker was a four-time Patriot League champion (2008-11) as well as a three-time ECAC champion for the Bison. Schoenecker competed at the Women's Henley Regatta in England in 2008, and also spent two summers coaching the junior women with the Penn Athletic Club Rowing Association in Philadelphia. She additionally competed with Fox Chapel Crew Club prior to her collegiate career.
Schoenecker went on to earn a Master of Arts in social and public policy with a concentration in peace studies and conflict resolution from Duquesne in 2013 before going on to a Doctorate in Education Leadership in 2021, teaching multiple graduate and undergraduate courses in educational psychology and qualitative research during her time on campus.
Schoenecker will officially start on July 17th.
