Emilie Gross joined the University of Dayton rowing coaching staff in August of 2015. She coordinates tryouts and coaches the novice crew.
"Emilie brings an interesting mix of experience and knowledge to the team," said Wenker. "She will primarily work with the novice team and help all the coxswains to improve. I am excited to work with her."
Gross comes to Dayton after spending the last year as the junior novice coach, masters assistant coach and boathouse keeper for Three Rivers Rowing Association in Pittsburgh, Pa.
She was a packaging engineer for Caterpillar, Inc. in Aurora, Ill. from June 2011 until August 2014 before getting back to the sport she loves.
"About a year ago, I made the decision to leave my stable career as a packaging engineer and fully commit myself to a career in rowing," said Gross. "I truly enjoyed my engineering job, but had a huge passion for rowing that I could not give up.
"Rowing became a passion of mine in 2006, when I was first developed as a walk-on novice at Michigan State University," she added. "The structure of rowing in college helped me succeed in all aspects of my life. All of which I am committed to structuring into my coaching approach at Dayton."
Gross also spent time working with the Chicago Rowing Union as the head masters novice coach and as a volunteer assistant coach at her alma mater, Michigan State, in 2011.
She competed for the Spartans rowing program from 2006-2010, helping Michigan State to a Big Ten championship in 2008 and 2009, as well as sixth-place and ninth-place finishes at the 2010 NCAA Championships.
Gross also studied abroad in Sydney, Australia during the summer of 2007, and was a coxswain and rower for the Macquarie University training squad.
She graduated with honors, with a bachelor of science degree in packaging in 2011. A member of Phi Sigma Theta National Honor Society in 2011, she earned Dean's List honors (2008-2011) and was also named an Academic All-Big Ten selection in 2009. She is currently pursuing her master's degree from University of Northern Colorado.
