STANFORD, Calif. – Stanford women’s rowing head coach Yasmin Farooq announced the addition of Kelsie Chaudoin to her staff.
“Kelsie has experienced this sport at every level and possesses the skills to help us recruit the best junior rowers and continue the development of our team,” said Farooq. “We know we’ve got a winner. We couldn’t be more excited about her passion for rowing and experience she will bring to the Women of Stanford.”
Chaudoin joins the Cardinal as an assistant coach in 2015-16 after serving as a novice men’s assistant coach for the Oakland Strokes Rowing Club since September, 2013.
"I am thrilled to be joining Yaz, Becca, and the rest of the Stanford women,” said Chaudoin. “It is a great privilege to be a part of the team, and I look forward to supporting the culture of excellence both on and off the water."
As an assistant coach with the Oakland Strokes, Chaudoin was responsible for teaching technical aspects of rowing and fitness as well as developing monthly training plans. She helped lead the club to a program-record six medals at the Southwest Regional Championships in her first year.
While coaching at Oakland Strokes, Chaudoin continued to compete as an athlete with the California Rowing Club (CRC). She trained full time trying to make the U.S. roster for the 2016 Olympics, winning the Canadian Henley pair and quad in 2013 as well as the West Coast Fall Speed Order in 2014. Chaudoin has rowed with the California Rowing Club since 2012.
Prior to competing at the CRC, Chaudoin trained at the United States Rowing Training Center in Princeton, N.J. from 2008-11. She won gold at the 2008 U-23 World Championships in the 8+ and was an elite national champion in the four in 2009.
Chaudoin graduated from the University of Virginia in 2008 as the first and only student-athlete to receive a four-year degree in Architecture. She also minored in Spanish. A walk-on to the Virginia rowing team, Chaudoin was a NCAA first team All-American and the ACC Rowing Scholar-Athlete of the Year. She was also a captain her senior year and received the UVA Oarswoman of the Year Award. She led the Cavaliers to four straight ACC Championships from 2005-08 and to a runner-up finish at the NCAA Championships in 2007.
The Cardinal coaching staff learned of Chaudoin when she coached at the Stanford High Performance Rowing Camps in 2014. Chaudoin was recommended by assistant coach, Nate Rooks, who will be leaving the program to pursue other goals.
“This transition has been seamless, thanks to Nate’s dedication and commitment to this team,” said Farooq. “As much as we’re all sad to see Nate leave, he’s got some adventures ahead in his personal life that he has put on hold for quite a while. He’s left an indelible mark on this team.”
Rooks spent seven years on the Farm as an assistant coach after competing for the Stanford men’s rowing team from 2004-07 where he won a silver medal in the varsity eight at the 2007 IRA National Championships. As a coach for the women’s program, Rooks helped lead the Cardinal to its first NCAA Championship in 2009 as coach of the varsity four, and it’s Pac-12 Championship as coach of the 2V8 in 2014. He coached 13 All-America selections, 10 All-Pac-12 and three Pac-12 Scholar-Athletes of the Year.
“The opportunity to row and coach at Stanford for over a decade was more than I’d ever hoped for, and I am extremely thankful to Yaz for the opportunity to work with such an amazing team,” said Rooks. “I will miss it all, but the opportunity to be a part of these programs and work with these amazing athletes and coaches has given me the confidence to pursue my next adventures. I could not be more grateful.”
Chaudoin will be heavily involved with recruiting and will coach the varsity four. Assistant coach Becca Carlton will be promoted to coach the second varsity eight after four years of coaching at Stanford. She has coached the varsity four and overseen the walk-on program. She led the varsity four to a Pac-12 Championship and to its highest finish in school history in 2014, placing second at the NCAA Championships.
“In four years, Becca has played a key role in improving the depth of this squad, in addition to doing a fantastic job of coaching our varsity four,” said Farooq. “It’s time for her to move up and help me with the top performers on our team.”
