Ramsey returns to take charge of women's rowing

In what has been a frantic period for Columbia Athletics in terms of coaching appointments, the final head coach vacancy has been filled. The Athletics Department announced that Scott Ramsey will be the new head coach for women's rowing after the departure of Melanie Onufrieff, who stepped down at the end of the 2010-11 season after six years at the helm.

The Lions peaked under Onufrieff in 2010, when the varsity eights won the Woodbury Cup by defeating Northeastern and Radcliffe, achieving their highest ever seeding for the Eastern (EAWRC) Sprints.

Ramsey, a Penn heavyweight alum from the class of 2004, was an assistant coach for the Lions from 2007-09, for both the men's heavyweight and women's teams and has spent the time since then at the University of Iowa. The new head coach has experience at various levels within the sport, having coached high schools in Pennsylvania and the US Rowing Women's National Team Pre-Elite camp in addition to his time at Iowa and Columbia.

At Iowa, he was recruiting coordinator in addition to being an assistant coach, and the Hawkeyes had one of the largest incoming classes ever during his time there. During his first spell in New York, Ramsey helped the men's heavyweights reach their first Eastern Sprints Grand Final since 1955 and also helped the second varsity team achieve a record high 12th place finish. He also played a role in implementing the strength-training program for both the heavyweights and the women's teams and is a NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and a Level III US Rowing certified coach.