University of Connecticut Athletics
Nick Peterson Hired as Assistant Rowing Coach
9/29/2026 1:26:00 PM | Women's Rowing
STORRS, Conn. – Head women's rowing coach Gordon Getsinger has announced the addition of Nick Peterson to his coaching staff on Monday.
Peterson comes to UConn from Brown University where he spent last season as an assistant coach for the men's crew program. He helped the Bears send two boats to the Grand Finals at the 2026 IRA National Championship and finish with a top ten ranking in the country.
"We could not be more excited to welcome Nick to our coaching staff and team," said Getsinger. "From the moment we began talking with him, his passion for coaching and teaching stood out. Nick brings a wealth of knowledge to the program, along with a creative and thoughtful approach to helping athletes develop. Having rowed in Olympics and worked at outstanding universities alongside accomplished coaches, Nick brings tremendous experience and perspective to our staff. Most importantly, he genuinely cares about the people he coaches and is excited to invest in our student-athletes and our program. We are thrilled to have him with us and cannot wait to get started."
Prior to his time at Brown, Peterson was an assistant coach with the Navy men's rowing program in the 2024-25 season under legendary head coach Steve Gladstone. During his time in Annapolis, Peterson played a pivotal role in preparing Navy's athletes for race day, helping improve their technique, mobility, and strength while developing new training programs designed to keep student-athletes healthy. His efforts helped Navy secure a 15th place finish at the IRA National Championship in 2024-25.
"I'm thrilled to join the staff and student-athletes at UConn," said Peterson. "When I interviewed for this position and visited, I was told a few times that "winning" isn't a dirty word here. We're all really excited to see what we can do here."
Peterson attended Harvard University, where he was a member of the Crimson men's rowing program under legendary head coach Harry Parker from 1992-95. During his time in Cambridge, Peterson earned a silver medal at the 1994 National Collegiate Rowing Championship and placed fourth in the Grand Final in the 1995 IRA National Championship.
Peterson also competed for the United State National and Olympic Teams from 1998 through 2000. He helped his crew to a seventh-place finish in the men's quadruple sculls at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.
Following his rowing career, Peterson served on the USRowing Board of Directors and its High Performance Committee from 2001 to 2005, as well as the USOC Board of Directors from 2001 to 2004. He also served on the Ethics Oversight Committee from 2001 to 2003 and chaired USRowing's Governance Task Force from 2004 to 2006 and again from 2014 to 2017.
