University of Minnesota Athletics
Rowing
- Title:
- Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator
- Email:
- odonn223@umn.edu
Alyssa O’Donnell enters her first year with the Gophers after being named an Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator in the summer of 2019. She comes from Temple University where she served as an assistant coach from August 2014 and was promoted to associate head coach in July 2018.
Along with being an associate head coach for the Owls, O’Donnell also was responsible for all recruitment duties and developed novice walk-on protocols. She assisted with administrative and compliance tasks, collaborated on training plans, handled all team social media and coordinated team travel logistics.
In her first season with the Owls, O’Donnell made school history by leading the women’s Novice 8 team to a first place finish after winning the Freshman 8 at the 2015 Dad Vail Regatta. This became the first ever gold in the event for the program. The success continued as O’Donnell helped the 3V8 team to a gold medal at the American Athletic Conference (AAC) in 2015 as well.
Under O’Donnell’s guidance, the 3V4 became AAC Champions in 2016. The 2017 AAC Championships saw a fourth place finish for the 3V8 team and in 2018, both the V4 and 2V4 squads finished third. In her final season with the Owls, the 2V4 team earned a second place finish and the V4 team finished in fifth place at the AAC Championships.
Prior to her time at Temple University, O’Donnell was at Vesper Boat Club where she was the Junior Women’s head coach from 2014-2015. She led her team to personal bests on all performance tests and a fourth place finish in the 1X at Canadian Henley. All 12 of her rowers went on to sign with Division one universities.
O’Donnell took on the roll as Varsity assistant coach with the Grand Valley State University Rowing Club and held that position from 2012-2014. In the 2013-2014 season, the Grand Valley women earned a gold medal at the Head of the Charles in the Collegiate Eight event, bronze medals in the 1st and 2nd Varsity Eights at the Dad Vail Regatta and swept every varsity event entered at the ACRA National Championships.
The GVSU Varsity Eight team earned a gold medal at the 2013 Dad Vail Regatta and rowed their way to a Women’s Points trophy. In the spring of 2013, the Varsity Eight squad raced themselves to the Grand Final of the Women’s Henley Regatta at Henley-on-the-Thames, where they finished second, just behind Oxford University. While at GVSU, O’Donnell earned her masters in communications.
O’Donnell began her coaching career at the Saratoga Rowing Association, with stints at Pine Crest High School and University School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
An upstate New York native, O’Donnell began her rowing career at Saratoga Rowing Association. She took her talents to Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale where she graduated in 2012 with a bachelor's degree in exercise and sport science and an associates degree in psychology. While competing for the Sharks, O’Donnell earned a spot on the Sunshine State All-Conference Team in 2010 and 2011 after winning the conference title both years. In her junior season, O’Donnell and her team worked their way to a fourth place finish at the NCAA Championships.
