PULLMAN, Wash. – Washington State University rowing coach Karl Huhta has been promoted from assistant to associate head coach, head coach Jane LaRiviere announced Thursday.
"I am beyond pleased to announce Karl Huhta as the associate head coach for rowing at WSU," LaRiviere said. "Karl and I have worked together on and off for over a decade and he has first-hand knowledge of every aspect of our program. We think similarly and I trust him implicitly, so I feel there is no better person to serve in this role."
Huhta joined the Cougar rowing staff in October of 2014, first serving as the coordinator of operations, before being promoted to assistant coach in July of 2015, where he primarily worked with the novice team the last two seasons. The Cougars have advanced to the NCAA Championships each of the three seasons that Huhta has been on staff. Formerly a volunteer coach at Washington State for two seasons from 2009-10, Huhta spent the 2013-14 season, as a volunteer assistant women's rowing coach at California as the Golden Bears were tabbed as the No. 1 team in the CRCA/USRowing Coaches Poll twice in April and went on to place second at the 2014 NCAA Rowing Championships at Indianapolis, Ind.
"Karl's enthusiasm for all things rowing, life and WSU in general make him really fun to be around," LaRiviere added. "This benefits the team directly, and has been a real strength out on the recruiting trail. It's an exciting time for Cougar rowing."
Prior to his time at California, Huhta spent three seasons as a graduate assistant with the Central Florida women's rowing team, while completing his master's degree in sport and fitness, with an emphasis in sport leadership and coaching. While at UCF, Huhta spent two spring seasons coaching the varsity four boats, and one spring season coaching the novice eight crews. He was also the lead recruiter during his final two seasons at UCF.
Huhta was also an assistant coach at the U.S. Rowing National Men's Pre-Elite Camp during the summer of 2011. The camp was held at the Oklahoma City National High Performance Center on the Oklahoma River in Oklahoma City, Okla., and develops athletes for the U.S. Men's Under-23 and Senior National teams.
As a volunteer coach at WSU, Huhta helped lead the Cougars to a 13th-place finish at the 2010 NCAA Rowing Championships at Gold River, Calif.
A graduate of Washington State, Huhta was a four-year member of the men's club rowing team from 2004-08. He was elected team commodore his senior year and was named to the 2008 All-Pacific-10 Conference Team. Huhta rowed with the varsity four that won the 2008 Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association (WIRA) Conference Championships, took silver at the 2008 Pacific Coast Rowing Championships (PCRCs) and competed in the 2008 Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) National Championships. Huhta also rowed with the third-place varsity eight crew at the 2006 WIRA Championships.
Huhta earned his bachelor's degree in sport management with minors in business administration and history from Washington State in 2009, before earning his USRowing level III coaching certification in December of 2010. Huhta replaces Josh Adam who previously served as associate head coach and was named head coach at USC earlier this summer.
"I am beyond pleased to announce Karl Huhta as the associate head coach for rowing at WSU," LaRiviere said. "Karl and I have worked together on and off for over a decade and he has first-hand knowledge of every aspect of our program. We think similarly and I trust him implicitly, so I feel there is no better person to serve in this role."
Huhta joined the Cougar rowing staff in October of 2014, first serving as the coordinator of operations, before being promoted to assistant coach in July of 2015, where he primarily worked with the novice team the last two seasons. The Cougars have advanced to the NCAA Championships each of the three seasons that Huhta has been on staff. Formerly a volunteer coach at Washington State for two seasons from 2009-10, Huhta spent the 2013-14 season, as a volunteer assistant women's rowing coach at California as the Golden Bears were tabbed as the No. 1 team in the CRCA/USRowing Coaches Poll twice in April and went on to place second at the 2014 NCAA Rowing Championships at Indianapolis, Ind.
"Karl's enthusiasm for all things rowing, life and WSU in general make him really fun to be around," LaRiviere added. "This benefits the team directly, and has been a real strength out on the recruiting trail. It's an exciting time for Cougar rowing."
Prior to his time at California, Huhta spent three seasons as a graduate assistant with the Central Florida women's rowing team, while completing his master's degree in sport and fitness, with an emphasis in sport leadership and coaching. While at UCF, Huhta spent two spring seasons coaching the varsity four boats, and one spring season coaching the novice eight crews. He was also the lead recruiter during his final two seasons at UCF.
Huhta was also an assistant coach at the U.S. Rowing National Men's Pre-Elite Camp during the summer of 2011. The camp was held at the Oklahoma City National High Performance Center on the Oklahoma River in Oklahoma City, Okla., and develops athletes for the U.S. Men's Under-23 and Senior National teams.
As a volunteer coach at WSU, Huhta helped lead the Cougars to a 13th-place finish at the 2010 NCAA Rowing Championships at Gold River, Calif.
A graduate of Washington State, Huhta was a four-year member of the men's club rowing team from 2004-08. He was elected team commodore his senior year and was named to the 2008 All-Pacific-10 Conference Team. Huhta rowed with the varsity four that won the 2008 Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association (WIRA) Conference Championships, took silver at the 2008 Pacific Coast Rowing Championships (PCRCs) and competed in the 2008 Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) National Championships. Huhta also rowed with the third-place varsity eight crew at the 2006 WIRA Championships.
Huhta earned his bachelor's degree in sport management with minors in business administration and history from Washington State in 2009, before earning his USRowing level III coaching certification in December of 2010. Huhta replaces Josh Adam who previously served as associate head coach and was named head coach at USC earlier this summer.