University of Minnesota Athletics
Alicea Strodel Selected as Head Rowing Coach
7/8/2019 8:30:00 AM | Rowing
The University of Minnesota has announced the hiring of Alicea (Kochis) Strodel as its head rowing coach, athletics director Mark Coyle announced Monday. Strodel, a longtime staff member at her alma mater Syracuse, has served as the Orange's associate head coach since 2016.
"I am so excited to welcome Alicea and her family to Minnesota," said Coyle. "As we went about identifying the next leader of our rowing program, Alicea's accomplishments in the sport stood out. From her time as one of Syracuse's most decorated rowers, to the work she has done helping that program establish itself among the best in the nation, I am convinced she will be able to bring that passion and success here to the Gophers. Her energy, enthusiasm and ability to motivate student-athletes both competitively and on a personal level will greatly benefit the members of our program. The future of Gopher rowing is extremely bright under Alicea's leadership."
Strodel, a part of three NCAA Championship berths as a rower from 1998-2002, returned to Syracuse in 2007 as an assistant coach.
"Thank you to Mark Coyle, Julie Manning and the search committee for believing in me and my leadership," said Strodel. "It is an honor to be chosen to coach at Minnesota and within the Big Ten Conference, the best rowing conference in the country. During my visit, campus, athletics and the community were vibrant. The energy and forward momentum of the athletic department was obvious. I'm excited to meet the women of Minnesota rowing, get to work and contribute to the success! I, my husband Matt and our three children can't wait to be in the Twin Cities."
The primary coach of Syracuse's varsity four boats, Strodel worked closely with head coach Luke McGee to help lead the rowing program at Syracuse. She was responsible for recruiting in North America and brought four US Junior National Team World Medalists to the Orange in the last five years.
Similar to her time as a rower for the Orange, Syracuse just competed in its third-consecutive NCAA Championship where Syracuse placed 16th as a team while her varsity four crew also earned a 16th-place finish.
In 2016 and 2017 the Orange finished 13th at the NCAA Championship with the varsity four earning its best finish under Strodel's reign in 2017 (11th). Syracuse has had 28 CRCA Academic All-American selections under the guidance of Strodel in the last three years. In 2016 Strodel guided the varsity four to a second-place finish at the world-famous Head of the Charles Regatta. In 2014, the varsity four crew was ranked as high as No. 10 nationally and was ranked No. 13 in the country in 2015.
During Syracuse's days in the BIG EAST the varsity four earned a gold medal in 2012 and silver the year prior. She was named 2009 CRCA Mid-Atlantic Assistant Coach of the Year and coached the Novice 8 to a BIG EAST Championship.
Strodel has served on the All-American Awards committee since 2015 where she is responsible for selecting the All-Region and All-America honorees. From 2009-2016 she was a national pollster for CRCA Region 3.
Strodel started her rowing career at Syracuse as a walk-on and earned a seat in the varsity eight in just her second season. In both 2001 and 2002, she was named to the CRCA Mid-Atlantic Region Second Team and she was SU's Most Improved Rower as a sophomore.
In 2001, she rowed in the six seat of the varsity eight that earned the first bid for Syracuse in the grand final of the NCAA Championship. She also helped the team achieve a perfect 8-0 season. That same year, the Orange varsity eight won the inaugural BIG EAST Challenge and recorded a third-place finish at the Eastern Sprints. Overall, Strodel helped SU to three NCAA appearances, victories in two BIG EAST Challenges and a win at the Georgetown Invitational for BIG EAST schools in 2000.
After completing her rowing career, she spent the summer of 2002 at the U.S. Pre-Elite Development Camp. From 2002-2004, she worked as a graduate assistant at the University of Connecticut. She also worked as a non-profit fundraiser at the Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund and at Outward Bound.
The former Alicea Kochis graduated from Syracuse in 2002 with a bachelor's degree in computer science. She went on to earn a master's degree in sport management from Connecticut in 2004.
"I am so excited to welcome Alicea and her family to Minnesota," said Coyle. "As we went about identifying the next leader of our rowing program, Alicea's accomplishments in the sport stood out. From her time as one of Syracuse's most decorated rowers, to the work she has done helping that program establish itself among the best in the nation, I am convinced she will be able to bring that passion and success here to the Gophers. Her energy, enthusiasm and ability to motivate student-athletes both competitively and on a personal level will greatly benefit the members of our program. The future of Gopher rowing is extremely bright under Alicea's leadership."
Strodel, a part of three NCAA Championship berths as a rower from 1998-2002, returned to Syracuse in 2007 as an assistant coach.
"Thank you to Mark Coyle, Julie Manning and the search committee for believing in me and my leadership," said Strodel. "It is an honor to be chosen to coach at Minnesota and within the Big Ten Conference, the best rowing conference in the country. During my visit, campus, athletics and the community were vibrant. The energy and forward momentum of the athletic department was obvious. I'm excited to meet the women of Minnesota rowing, get to work and contribute to the success! I, my husband Matt and our three children can't wait to be in the Twin Cities."
The primary coach of Syracuse's varsity four boats, Strodel worked closely with head coach Luke McGee to help lead the rowing program at Syracuse. She was responsible for recruiting in North America and brought four US Junior National Team World Medalists to the Orange in the last five years.
Similar to her time as a rower for the Orange, Syracuse just competed in its third-consecutive NCAA Championship where Syracuse placed 16th as a team while her varsity four crew also earned a 16th-place finish.
In 2016 and 2017 the Orange finished 13th at the NCAA Championship with the varsity four earning its best finish under Strodel's reign in 2017 (11th). Syracuse has had 28 CRCA Academic All-American selections under the guidance of Strodel in the last three years. In 2016 Strodel guided the varsity four to a second-place finish at the world-famous Head of the Charles Regatta. In 2014, the varsity four crew was ranked as high as No. 10 nationally and was ranked No. 13 in the country in 2015.
During Syracuse's days in the BIG EAST the varsity four earned a gold medal in 2012 and silver the year prior. She was named 2009 CRCA Mid-Atlantic Assistant Coach of the Year and coached the Novice 8 to a BIG EAST Championship.
Strodel has served on the All-American Awards committee since 2015 where she is responsible for selecting the All-Region and All-America honorees. From 2009-2016 she was a national pollster for CRCA Region 3.
Strodel started her rowing career at Syracuse as a walk-on and earned a seat in the varsity eight in just her second season. In both 2001 and 2002, she was named to the CRCA Mid-Atlantic Region Second Team and she was SU's Most Improved Rower as a sophomore.
In 2001, she rowed in the six seat of the varsity eight that earned the first bid for Syracuse in the grand final of the NCAA Championship. She also helped the team achieve a perfect 8-0 season. That same year, the Orange varsity eight won the inaugural BIG EAST Challenge and recorded a third-place finish at the Eastern Sprints. Overall, Strodel helped SU to three NCAA appearances, victories in two BIG EAST Challenges and a win at the Georgetown Invitational for BIG EAST schools in 2000.
After completing her rowing career, she spent the summer of 2002 at the U.S. Pre-Elite Development Camp. From 2002-2004, she worked as a graduate assistant at the University of Connecticut. She also worked as a non-profit fundraiser at the Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund and at Outward Bound.
The former Alicea Kochis graduated from Syracuse in 2002 with a bachelor's degree in computer science. She went on to earn a master's degree in sport management from Connecticut in 2004.
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