Tessa Spillane and the Blue Crew coaching staff earned National Coaching Staff of the Year honors from the CRCA (Mike Janes (top), Katie Morrison (bottom))
Tessa Spillane and the Blue Crew coaching staff earned National Coaching Staff of the Year honors from the CRCA (Mike Janes (top), Katie Morrison (bottom))
Posted: Jul 08, 2022

Blue Crew's Spillane, Muller, Ball Named CRCA Division III National Coach and Staff of the Year

WELLESLEY, Mass. -- Wellesley College crew head coach Tessa Spillane and assistant coaches Emilie Muller and Emilia Ball '19 have been named the 2022 Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA) NCAA Division III National Coach and Coaching Staff of the Year.

With the honor, Spillane earns her third National Coach of the Year Award, having received it in 2011 and 2016. The 2008, 2010, 2014-2018 NEWMAC Coach of the Year, Spillane also guided the Blue to third place finishes at the NCAA Division III National Championships in 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, and 2019.

The Blue are coming off a 2022 season that ended with an NCAA Division III National Championship, the second in program history. Wellesley also captured the 2022 New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Championship and saw the team's varsity eight finish first at the New England Rowing Championships for the first time in program history.

Voted on by coaching peers, this award is designed to recognize head coaches who have had outstanding success during the current season, demonstrated great team improvement from the prior season, and demonstrated a high level of professionalism and integrity as a coach in rowing. Along with Spillane, the honor also recognizes the entire coaching staff. 

"We have amazing assistant coaches in Emilie Muller and Emilia Ball '19," said Spillane. "They both give so much positive energy, expertise and rowing knowledge to our roster. Their collective sense of humor and their willingness to teach in a big relearning year for our program (after two years away from racing) was critical to our team's success all year and I would be lost without them."

Muller, also Wellesley's Novice Coach, joined Wellesley crew in 2017-18 following a standout career at Bates College, where she was a member of the Bobcats' 2015 NCAA Division III National Championship team. Ball joined the Wellesley coaching staff this year but is no stranger to the program, having been a member of Wellesley's 2016 National Championship squad during her time as a student-athlete with the Blue. 

Wellesley Athletics strives for excellence at the conference, regional, and national levels, while providing opportunities for students to achieve their potential and learn the values of discipline, leadership, critical thinking, and responsibility to oneself and others.