University of Minnesota Athletics
Photo by: Bjorn Franke
'U' Rowing Announces Pair of Staff Changes
8/8/2025 10:00:00 AM | Rowing
Feinson, Perrett into assistant coach roles
MINNEAPOLIS - University of Minnesota rowing head coach Alicea Strodel announced a pair of staff changes for the 2025-26 season. Laura Feinson was promoted to an assistant coaching role after two years as a graduate assistant, while Maddie Perrett joins the program as an assistant coach.
Feinson came to campus in August 2023 after a decorated career at Indiana from 2018-23 where she was named the 2022 Big Ten Rowing Athlete of the Year. Working primarily with the Golden Gophers' novice squad, she helped revamp the team, highlighted by Minnesota's First Novice Eight crew claiming a bronze medal at the 2024 Big Ten Championship. It was the team's first medal at the regatta since 2018.
"Laura joined our staff in the graduate assistant role two years ago," Strodel said. "These have been two of our team's best performances at the conference championships. She has had an immediate impact on our program and I'm so happy that she's moved into a full-time coaching role. Laura is a strong role model for our student-athletes and has a fresh perspective and voice on the coaching staff."
Perrett joins the Maroon and Gold as an assistant coach and begins her career in Dinkytown following a two-year stint as an assistant coach at UCLA.
"Everyone has been looking forward to Maddie joining our staff," Strodel added. "Her professionalism, ability to connect and mentor student-athletes, and passion for coaching will help the program continue to take the next step. I'm excited for her to meet the team and get the season started."
While coaching the Bruins, Perrett served as the walk-on coach in 2024-25 and led the team's on-campus recruiting plans as well as recruiting throughout the Midwest. In her position, she created and implemented training programs for the student-athletes across varying levels of experience and instructed rowing fundamentals and skill development throughout the year.
Prior to her time at UCLA, the Ann Arbor, Mich., native served in an assistant coaching role at George Washington during the 2022-23 campaign. In the nation's capital, she helped lead the Revolutionaries to their first-ever team title at the Atlantic 10 Championships in 2023, as well as the team's first appearance at the NCAA Championships in program history.
Perrett worked as a volunteer coach at her alma mater Ohio State from 2020 to 2022, spending the first year leading the novice program before moving to support the varsity rowers in her second season. A 2020 graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology, she was a four-year letterwinner with the Buckeyes (2016-20) and helped lead OSU to two Big Ten Conference titles. Perrett was a member of the Second Varsity Eight boat that finished in the top 10 at three-straight NCAA Championships, finishing in fourth place in 2017 and fifth place in 2019.
In addition to her collegiate rowing experience in Columbus, Ohio, Perrett served as a member of the USRowing U23 National Team in 2019. She won a bronze medal in the women's eight at the U23 World Rowing Championship.
Feinson came to campus in August 2023 after a decorated career at Indiana from 2018-23 where she was named the 2022 Big Ten Rowing Athlete of the Year. Working primarily with the Golden Gophers' novice squad, she helped revamp the team, highlighted by Minnesota's First Novice Eight crew claiming a bronze medal at the 2024 Big Ten Championship. It was the team's first medal at the regatta since 2018.
"Laura joined our staff in the graduate assistant role two years ago," Strodel said. "These have been two of our team's best performances at the conference championships. She has had an immediate impact on our program and I'm so happy that she's moved into a full-time coaching role. Laura is a strong role model for our student-athletes and has a fresh perspective and voice on the coaching staff."
Perrett joins the Maroon and Gold as an assistant coach and begins her career in Dinkytown following a two-year stint as an assistant coach at UCLA.
"Everyone has been looking forward to Maddie joining our staff," Strodel added. "Her professionalism, ability to connect and mentor student-athletes, and passion for coaching will help the program continue to take the next step. I'm excited for her to meet the team and get the season started."
While coaching the Bruins, Perrett served as the walk-on coach in 2024-25 and led the team's on-campus recruiting plans as well as recruiting throughout the Midwest. In her position, she created and implemented training programs for the student-athletes across varying levels of experience and instructed rowing fundamentals and skill development throughout the year.
Prior to her time at UCLA, the Ann Arbor, Mich., native served in an assistant coaching role at George Washington during the 2022-23 campaign. In the nation's capital, she helped lead the Revolutionaries to their first-ever team title at the Atlantic 10 Championships in 2023, as well as the team's first appearance at the NCAA Championships in program history.
Perrett worked as a volunteer coach at her alma mater Ohio State from 2020 to 2022, spending the first year leading the novice program before moving to support the varsity rowers in her second season. A 2020 graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology, she was a four-year letterwinner with the Buckeyes (2016-20) and helped lead OSU to two Big Ten Conference titles. Perrett was a member of the Second Varsity Eight boat that finished in the top 10 at three-straight NCAA Championships, finishing in fourth place in 2017 and fifth place in 2019.
In addition to her collegiate rowing experience in Columbus, Ohio, Perrett served as a member of the USRowing U23 National Team in 2019. She won a bronze medal in the women's eight at the U23 World Rowing Championship.
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