Under the direction of 24th-year head coach Jane LaRiviere, Washington State University has established a heritage as one of the leading women’s rowing programs in the nation. The second head coach since Washington State rowing became an NCAA varsity team in 1990, LaRiviere has led the Cougars to 14 NCAA Rowing Championship appearances and has earned a bid to the NCAA Rowing Championships in nine of the past 15 seasons. LaRiviere is the longest-tenured head coach for a Washington State female sport in school history.
Five WSU rowers have gone on to represent their country at the Olympics under LaRiviere. Lisa Roman and Nicole Hare rowed for Canada at the 2016 Rio and 2020 Tokyo Games, while Beth Rodford represented Great Britain at the 2008 Beijing Games. Ivy Elling Quaintance was a spare for Canada for the 2020 Tokyo Games. Ieva Adomaviciute represented Lithuania in the 2024 Paris Games. Roman helped Canada win gold in the women’s eight race at the 2020 Tokyo games. Roman helped her home country clocked in at 5:59.13 to take gold, finishing 0.91 seconds ahead of New Zealand. Adomaviciute helped her country to a fifth-place finish in women's pairs (7:05.34).
In the 2024-25 season, WSU placed third overall at the 2025 WCC Championships with second-place finishes in the 1V4 and 2V4, and third-place finishes in the 1V8 and 2V8. Siena Snow, Saskia Steltman and Harriett Thompson were each named WCC All-Confrence while the Cougs had 10 named WCC All-Academic, seven named a CRCA Scholar-Athlete, and two named CSC Academic All-District.
The 2023-24 season saw WSU's varsity eight boat place fifth in the 2024 Pac-12 Championships as the team finished seventh overall. Eliza Dawson was named a 2024 CRCA All-American, CSC Academic All-American, and Pac-12 All-Conference. The Cougs had 11 named CRCA Scholar Athletes and 17 Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
During the 2022-23 season, the Cougars finished sixth as a team at the 2023 Pac-12 Rowing Championships. Madelyn Pollard earned All-Pac-12 honors for the first time in her career. The Cougars had 15 rowers earn CRCA Scholar Athlete honors, while 22 rowers were selected to the Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
The Cougars returned to a full regatta schedule in 2021-22 after dealing with a pair of shortened campaigns over the last couple of seasons due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Cougars rowed in a total of two fall regattas and competed in six springs regattas in 2021-22. Washington State finished sixth at the 2022 Pac-12 Rowing Championships and had Jessica Norris named to the All-Pac-12 squad for the second time in her career. Norris became just the fifth Cougar rower to earn multiple All-Pac-12 honors during their WSU career. Washington State had 17 rowers named to the 2022 Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll, while 12 Cougars were named CRCA Scholar Student-Athletes.
The 2020-21 season brought on a challenge like no other, as the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the fall portion of the schedule, leaving the Cougs only a spring season to qualify for the NCAA Championships in Sarasota, Florida. Washington State would overcome several obstacles throughout the season but maintained a spot inside the Pocock/CRCA Top-20 poll for most of the spring. The Cougars made a return to the NCAA Rowing Championship for the first time since the 2018 season, where WSU finished 15th as a team. The varsity four boat took second in the 1V4 petite final to finish 10th overall. The Cougars finished fifth as a team at the 2021 Pac-12 Rowing Championship, while the varsity four boat placed third in its race. Jessica Norris became the 16th rower in program history to earn Pocock All-American honors, as the New Zealand native earned an honorable mention nod. Norris also earned her first All-Pac-12 selection in 2021. The Cougars had 11 rowers earn CRCA Scholar Athlete honors, while 28 rowers were selected to the Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
During the 2019-20 season, the Cougs were able to compete in five fall races before spring-portion of the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ella Cowan de Wolf, who rowed with both the varsity eight and varsity four during the fall, was named the recipient of the Pac-12 Postgraduate Scholarship. In addition, WSU had 17 rowers selected to the Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
In 2018-19 season, LaRiviere helped to guide Ivy Elling Quaintance to both a CRCA All-American Honorable Mention selection and a spot on the All-Pac-12 team. As a team, the Cougs finished the 2019 season in seventh at the Pac-12 Championships, just two-and-a-half points behind No. 13-ranked Southern Cal. In addition, WSU had 11 rowers named CRCA Scholar Athletes.
LaRiviere’s team finished 14th overall at the 2018 NCAA Championships in Sarasota, Fla. Both the varsity eight and second varsity eight placed 14th in their races while the varsity four placed 11th . Under LaRiviere’s tutelage, WSU’s Emily Morrow was named All-Pac-12 and All-Conference in 2018 and Paige Danielson received the NCAA Elite 90 Award as well as Second Team Academic All-American. Eight of LaRiviere’s athletes were named CRCA National Scholar-Athletes. Eight athletes received First Team Conference All-Academic Awards while six athletes received Second Team Conference All-Academic Awards.
LaRiviere’s Cougars maintained a top-15 ranking throughout the 2017 season, finishing 14th at the 2017 NCAA Championships at West Windsor, N.J. Under LaRiviere’s tutelage, the varsity eight finished strong for the Cougars winning the C Final to place 13th overall. LaRiviere also led the Cougars to their third-straight top-four finish at the Pac-12 Rowing Championships. WSU battled to secure 4th place over top-10 program University of Virginia at the Clemson Invitational.
Two of LaRiviere’s rowers, Ieva Adomaviciute and Nicole Hare, won gold in international competition. Adomanviciute won gold for Lithanuaia in the women’s single sculls at the Under 23 World Rowing Championships. Hare, who was at the same event, took home gold for Canada in the women’s pair.
LaRiviere’s rowers dominated in the classroom, as seven Cougars were named CRCA 2017 Scholar Athletes, with sixteen members of the team earned Pac-12 All-Academic accolades. Highlighting the achievements in the classroom was Mihaela-Teodora Berindei, who was named the 2017 Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the year.
LaRiviere’s Cougars were a top-15 team throughout the 2016 season, and finished 12th at the 2016 NCAA Championships at Lake Natoma, Calif. LaRiviere guided the varsity eight to a win in the C Final of the Division I Eights, to headline the three point-scoring boats for the Cougars. WSU swept Oregon State in dual action, to win a seventh-consecutive Winchell Cup and the Crawford Perpetual Plate, and also won five-of-six races to open the spring season in a dual against neighboring-rival Gonzaga.
Two of LaRiviere’s rowers, Nicole Hare and Lisa Roman, competed in the 2016 Olympic Games at Rio. Hare redshirted the 2016 season to train, and went on to compete for team Canada in a coxless pair. Roman competed with the Cougars from 2010-12 and rowed in Canada’s eight.
Seniors Jordan Watson and Morgan Cathrea each earned 2016 CRCA All-Region First and Second Team honors, respectively. LaRiviere also coached Watson and Cathrea to All-America honors as first and second-team recipients, while Savannah Davison was named to the 2016 Pac-12 Rowing All-Conference Team.
LaRiviere’s squad also dominated in the classroom, as seven Cougars were named CRCA 2016 scholar athletes, and an additional 17 rowers earned Pac-12 Rowing All-Academic honors.
WSU was ranked the entire 2015 season and notched its second-best NCAA finish in school history as it placed eighth at the 2015 NCAA Championships at Lake Natoma, Calif. The varsity eight placed ninth, matching its second-best finish in school history, also placing ninth in 2008 and finishing fourth in 2006. The second varsity eight finished sixth, its third-best finish in school history after finishing third in 2004 and fifth in 2006. The varsity four placed seventh, its third-best finish in school history after placing fourth in 2006 and sixth in 2013. The previous two years WSU finished 14th as a team, as this marks its first top-10 finish since 2008.
The Cougars also matched their best Pac-12 finish since 2008 as they placed third, led by the varsity four which matched its best finish in school history, finishing second. Juniors Jordan Watson and Nicole Hare were named to the CRCA Region 5 teams, Watson to the first team and Hare to the second team. Watson went on to be named to the 2015 Pocock All-America First Team, while Hare was named to the second team. Senior Mickey Aylard was named to the All-Pac-12 Team.
Outside the boat, seven members of the Washington State University women’s rowing team were named 2015 National Scholar-Athletes by the College Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA), while 20 earned Pac-12 All-Academic honors.
Entering the spring portion of the 2014 season, WSU was ranked 14th. The Cougars swept Gonzaga in dual action on the road and also won the Winchell Cup at Pullman. The Cougars finished sixth at the Pac-12 Championships and 14th at the NCAA Rowing Championships. One of LaRiviere's rowers (sophomore Nicole Hare ) was named CRCA Second Team All-America, while seven cougars (seniors Kerry Hassall, Elise Jones; sophomores Ieva Adomaviciute, Morgan Cathrea, Nicole Hare, Kayla Wakulich, and Jordan Watson) were named CRCA 2014 Scholar Athletes, alongside 27 Pac-12 Rowing All-Academic honors.
WSU won each race against Gonzaga to open the 2013 season. LaRiviere’s varsity eight placed second at the San Diego Crew Classic, while the second varsity eight won its heat. The Cougars’ varsity four defeated Washington on the Snake River, and the Cougars placed sixth at the Pac-12 Championships and the team placed 14th overall at the NCAA Championships.
Senior Katie Dick was named the Pac-12 Women’s Rowing Scholar-Athlete of the Year, and was the first Cougar rower to earn the honor. Freshman Ieva Adomaviciute was named Pac-12 Newcomer of the Year, and senior Allie Reilly was named to the Pac-12 All-Conference Team. Four Cougars (Katie Dick, Elise Jones, Erin Schuster, and Sarah Wu) were each named 2013 CRCA Scholar-Athletes, while 21 earned Pac-12 Rowing All-Academic Honors.
The Cougars opened the 2012 season ranked 14th. The team had an impressive showing at the Gonzaga dual, sweeping the events. A week later at home against Oregon State, the Cougars won every race again with the exception of the novice eight. The women placed fifth in the Pac-12 Championships.
LaRiviere helped coach the women in the boat and in the classroom as well. Sixteen Cougars earned Pac-12 Rowing All-Academic honors.
During the fall of the 2011 season, the Cougars drew national attention after the varsity eight took first place in the OGE NightSprint at the Head of the Oklahoma, beating out Stanford, Oklahoma, Iowa, and Tulsa. Entering the spring season, all eyes were on the Cougars as they traveled to the Ohio State Invite where they defeated then-No.15 Michigan and then-No. 11 Ohio State. To finish out the regular season, the Cougars swept Oregon State.
The Cougars were ranked 11th in the nation entering the Pacific-10 Conference Championships, taking home a fifth-place finish and securing a second straight at-large bid to the NCAA Rowing Championships, their seventh trip to the NCAA Championships in LaRiviere’s nine seasons.
At the NCAA Championships, the Cougars took home a 12th-place finish, as all three boats competed in the petite finals. The varsity eight finished fifth in the petite final (12th overall), while the second varsity eight and varsity four each placed fourth in their races (10th overall).
To add to the success of the 2011 season, two rowers (Corinna Sharick and Sarah Wolff) were named to the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA) All-America Teams, marking just the third time the Cougars have had multiple honorees in a season. Two Cougars (Liz England and Corinna Sharick) were invited to Women’s National Team camps, Lisa Roman earned All-Pac-10 All-Conference honors, and 17 Cougar rowers earned Pacific-10 Rowing All-Academic Honors. Additionally, Liz Beck, Ann Hoag, and Kasia Rademacher were named CRCA National Scholar-Athletes.
In 2010, and with a national ranking of 11th going into the Pac-10 Championships, the Cougars sixth place finish solidified its spot in the NCAA Championships for the fifth time. WSU finished 13th overall at the championships at Lake Natoma, Calif., hosted by Washington State. The varsity eight took second in the third final (14th overall), the second varsity eight finished second in the petite final (eighth overall), and the varsity four took third in the third final (15th overall).
In addition to the team’s success, sophomore Katie Dick was named to the Pacific-10 Conference All-Conference team, Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association First Team, CRCA Division I West Region First Team and to the CRCA All-America Second Team.
In the 2009 season the WSU varsity eight raced tough against UW and Michigan, while the solid second varsity eight defeated Michigan State, Michigan, Ohio State and Oregon State. In addition, 2009 marked the inauguration of the Tom and Barbara Wilson Rowing Center, a venture brought to fruition through the efforts of LaRiviere and former WSU rowing coach Tammy Crawford. The facility features a state-of-the-art moving water indoor rowing tank, and will serve as part of LaRiviere’s legacy at WSU.
With an eighth-place overall team finish, the 2008 NCAA appearance marked the Cougars’ fourth such outing under LaRiviere’s direction. Leading out was the varsity eight’s ninth place finish, with the second varsity eight and varsity four coming in eighth in their respective races.
Leading up to their reemergence to the NCAA Championships in 2008, LaRiviere led the Cougars to match their second best Pacific-10 Championship finish all-time, placing third overall. Several key races built the Cougars’ success in the 2008 campaign, including varsity eight and second varsity eight finishing second and third, respectively, at the Head of the Oklahoma, wins at the Head of the Lake and against Oregon State, varsity eight placing third at the San Diego Crew Classic, and the fourth-consecutive victory over cross-state rival Washington.
The Cougar varsity and second varsity eight recorded victories over UW in 2007, highlighting a season that ended with a seventh-place finish at the Pac-10 Championships.
In 2006, LaRiviere’s rowing team made history by achieving the highest NCAA finish for any women’s athletic program in WSU history. At the 2006 NCAA Division I Rowing Championship Regatta in West Windsor, N.J., all three WSU varsity boats posted top five finishes, earning the Cougars a fourth-place team standing.
At the 2006 Pac-10 Championships the WSU varsity eight and varsity four finished second in their respective grand finals, placing the team second overall, and marking the best Pac-10 finish in school history. Other top finishes included the varsity eights 10th-place overall standing at the prestigious Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston and a victory at the Head of the Lake Regatta in Seattle. The Cougars also recorded wins against Stanford, Tennessee, and Clemson along with two spectacular wins against Washington, only the second and third in program history.
LaRiviere received professional recognition from her coaching peers for her outstanding coaching success in 2006. The Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association named her the West Region Coach of the Year and the Pacific-10 Conference voted her the Women’s Rowing Coach of the Year.
In the 2004 season (her second at WSU), LaRiviere guided the Cougars to a ninth overall finish at the NCAA Championships. The Cougars’ NCAA appearance was highlighted by the second varsity eight’s third-place finish. At the Pac-10 Conference Championships, WSU placed third overall under-scored by a runner-up effort from the second varsity eight squad.
During LaRiviere’s first year with the Cougars (2003), third-place finishes by the varsity eight and varsity four crews led WSU to a tie for third at the Pac-10 Championships. Those results helped secure the program’s first team bid to the NCAA Championships in school history. The Cougars’ inaugural trip to the national championships resulted in a 12th-place team finish, which featured a top 10 performance by the varsity four crew.
LaRiviere came to the Palouse after spending eight years at Oregon State University where she served as the recruiting coordinator as well as the women’s freshman and novice coach. While at OSU, LaRiviere guided the Beavers’ novice eight to a 2002 Pac-10 Conference Championship and the varsity four to a second-place finish. In addition, LaRiviere directed the Beavers’ novice eight to respective second and third-place finishes at the Pac-10 Championships in 2000 and 2001 and the varsity four to a second-place effort at the 2001 conference championships.
During LaRiviere’s tenure at Oregon State, the women’s rowing program posted third-place overall finishes at the Pac-10 Championships in 1998, 2001 and 2002. In addition, the Beavers’ varsity eight placed 13th and 15th at the NCAA Championships in 1999 and 2000, respectively.
LaRiviere began her coaching career in 1989 while attending graduate school at the University of Oregon. A native of Alberta, Canada, she went on to coach at the University of Western Ontario and for the London (Ontario) Rowing Club. While in Ontario, she assisted with the Canadian Women’s National Team development camps. During the summer of 2001, LaRiviere was an apprentice national rowing team coach in Canada.
A U.S. Rowing Level III certified coach, LaRiviere earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education from the University of Calgary (1986), a master’s degree in athletic therapy from Oregon (1990), and her Ph.D. in biomechanics from Oregon State (2002).
Her daughter, Alice Jean LaRiviere, was born in August, 2003.
Note: LaRiviere is pronounced La-riv-e-a.
