ANN ARBOR, Mich. - The University of Michigan has announced that Emily Ford has been elevated to associate head coach for rowing. The promotion from assistant coach is in recognition of her outstanding work as a member of the rowing staff.
"Emily and I have always worked in tandem in developing this program," said head coach Mark Rothstein. "I felt that it was appropriate for her to have the title of associate head coach as it better represents her importance as a member of our coaching staff."
Ford is starting her seventh season as a coach for the U-M women's rowing program. On the water, Ford's primary responsibility is the second varsity eight, which put together a record-breaking season in 2001. The boat won all 11 of its races by open water and captured Michigan rowing's first national title with a first-place finish at the NCAA Championships.
Prior to working with the varsity team, Ford coached the U-M novice squad in 1996 and 1997. During the 1998 season, her first working exclusively with the varsity team, the U-M second varsity eight placed fifth at the NCAA Championships. In 1999 the boat finished third, at the time the highest NCAA finish in Michigan rowing history. In two of the last three seasons, the second varsity eight has captured Big Ten Conference titles.
Recently, Ford served as an assistant coach for the USRowing Junior National team which competed at the 2002 FISA Junior World Rowing Championships in Trakai, Lithuania. She coached the women's pair to a fifth-place finish in the Grande Final of its event.
Ford also serves as a board member for the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association. As the first chair in the history of the CRCA awards committee, Ford initiated the program for awarding All-America rowing honors throughout the collegiate ranks.
Ford was a three-year letterwinner, a two-time team captain and the only rower in school history to earn the prestigious Outstanding Senior Female Athlete Award at the University of California-San Diego. She was a member of the 1993 gold medal women's lightweight 4+ at the Pacific Coast Rowing Championships. Ford earned her undergraduate degree in psychology from UCSD in 1993.