Glowacki to step down as Marietta College women's rowing coach after the season
Search for a replacement will begin immediately

Apr. 5, 2007
MARIETTA, Ohio — After five years as the women's rowing coach at Marietta College, Karen Glowacki announced her resignation Thursday (Apr. 5), afternoon according to Athletics Director, Debbie Lazorik. Glowacki will remain with the crew for the remainder of the spring.

"We would like to thank Karen for her five years of service to the Marietta College women's rowing program," said Lazorik. "She helped elevate women's rowing to a national level, and we will work meticulously to find a replacement that will continue to move the program forward."

Lazorik said a nationwide search for a new head coach would begin immediately.

"I've enjoyed my time at Marietta College and thank everyone who has helped me feel welcome here," said Glowacki. "I'm very proud to have been a part of the success of the women's crew over the last five years. Making the decision to pursue other coaching opportunities was difficult. I know that I will miss the ladies on the team and my colleagues in the athletic department."

Glowacki, who has coached four All-Americans and nine National Scholar-Athlete selections, guided the women’s crew program at Marietta College to several milestones. In 2004, the Varsity 8 was consistently ranked from 11th to 13th in the nation, and the team held the first-place Mid-Atlantic regional ranking for the majority of the season. The Pioneers capped off the spring with a win in the D-II/D-III Varsity 8 at the Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championships and a win in the D-II/D-III Varsity 8 at the 2004 Dad Vail. The Dad Vail gold was the first Dad Vail medal for the Varsity 8 in the history of Marietta College women’s crew.

In 2005, Glowacki’s Varsity 8 was ranked nationally throughout the year and finished runners-up in the finals of the D-II/D-III Heavyweight 8 race at Dad Vails.

Glowacki, who holds her Level III Certification through US Rowing, began her rowing career while attending Case Western Reserve University (CWRU). After graduation, she began coaching the club's novice crews and eventually became the school's head men's and women's coach.

Glowacki left CWRU in 1999 to become the varsity men's coach, boatwright, facilities manager and program coordinator for the Niskayuna High School Crew in upstate New York. The Niskayuna varsity men swept the gold medals at the Section II Championships and medaled in all three events entered at the New York State Scholastic Championships.

In 2000, Glowacki arrived at Hamilton College (N.Y.), where she was the assistant rowing coach. Her primary responsibility was the novice program. Her women's Novice 8 placed second in the petite final at the N.Y. State Collegiate Championships and her men's Novice 8 placed 12th overall.

Coach Glowacki returned to Ohio in the fall of 2001 and served as a volunteer assistant coach for the varsity women's rowing program at The Ohio State University. During the spring 2002 season, Ohio State won the Big Ten Championships, placed second at the Central Regional Championships and took fifth overall at the NCAA Division I Championship Regatta.