GENEVA, N.Y.—William Smith Head Rowing Coach Paul Bugenhagen recently announced Linnea Darius '26 will join his staff as an assistant coach.
 
"I'm very excited that Linnea is joining our staff and will continue to help drive this team forward," Bugenhagen said. "When an athlete becomes a coach, she gets to translate what her approach, process, and performance felt like into language someone else can use. Few are better prepared for that than Linnea!"
 
Darius graduated in May with a bachelor's degree in biology and environmental studies. Following a successful senior season on the water, she was named a finalist for the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association Division III Athlete of the Year and a first team All-American. Darius was the stroke seat for William Smith's varsity eight this spring. She guided the Herons' top boat to a third-place finish at the NCAA Championships. It was the Herons' first medal at the NCAAs since 2013. William Smith's third place finish in the team standings at the national championships matched the program's best finish.
 
Darius also earned first team All-Liberty League honors and was part the Liberty League Crew of the Year after leading the Herons to a 10-second victory at the league championships. It earned William Smith its first league title since 2016. Darius also won a bronze medal at the New York State Championships. In the fall, she won a silver medal at the Head of the Charles Regatta in the varsity four.
 
Darius was a four-year member of the Herons' varsity eight. She also stroked the varsity eight during her sophomore season when she earned second team All-Liberty League recognition. At this year's Herons Awards Banquet, she was presented with the Winn-Seeley Award and the S. Ford Weiskittel Most Valuable Oarswoman Award.
 
Bugenhagen added, "Linnea is an elite communicator, leader, and oarswoman. She is a confident messenger when it comes to William Smith rowing. Our recruits and our team will benefit from her lived experience. Her ability to communicate what works here and why HWS is an incredible place for student-athletes is huge. Her instincts when it comes to leadership and growth are exceptional. She's one of the most accomplished oarswomen ever to row for this college.
 
I'm thrilled that I get to support her as she translates that excellence into our work inside the rowing office and especially the instruction that our team and our recruits can build upon. This is going to be fun and I'm grateful she's staying on to continue helping us build this program into a national powerhouse."