Longtime Tennessee rowing coach joins Oak Ridge Rowing

After 25 years as coach of UT Lady Vols rowing, Lisa Glenn has joined the Oak Ridge Rowing Association as executive athletics director for the Atomic programs.

"I'm looking forward to collaborating with the ORRA leadership and am grateful to have gotten to know some of them through our discussions over the course of the past few months,” Glenn said in a news release. She announced her retirement as Lady Vols coach on June 2.

Glenn will work with the ORRA board of directors and its lead and assistant coaches on the strategic direction of coached programs, defining and executing training and racing plans, as well as coaching on the water, the release said.

“The coordination of our board, events director, the Atomic coaches, boosters, athletes of all ages and myself gives us the opportunity to offer an excellent, multi-level experience for team members and those who utilize this premier venue for rowing and other watersport activities,” Glenn said. “I'm excited about realizing this opportunity while working alongside the ORRA community to create a great atmosphere for all involved."

Glenn took over Lady Vols rowing at the University of Tennessee in 1998 from former Oak Ridge rower Susannah Iacovino, who launched the program in 1994. A three-time regional and two-time conference coach of the year, Glenn led Tennessee to nine appearances at the NCAA championships, including full-team selections in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2021. The Lady Vols earned two conference titles and one region title and finished in the top three at conference championships 11 of 12 times. Twelve Lady Vols rowers earned All-America honors and 79 were named as all-region.

In 2007, Tennessee placed ninth at the NCAA championships for its best finish in program history. This year UT placed second in the Big 12 Championship − its best finish ever at that event − as all five boats medaled, a Lady Vols first.

A native of Clarkston, Michigan, Glenn graduated in 1988 from Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts, where she won three Seven Sisters' Championships. She was a graduate assistant coach at Syracuse University while pursuing her master's degree in public communications. In 1991, Glenn received her master's degree and stayed on board with the Orange as a full-time assistant rowing coach. As head of the novice program, she led SU to its best-ever performance, with her novice squads earning silver and bronze medals at the Eastern Association of Women's Rowing Colleges Sprints.

While at Syracuse, she worked with junior girls at Liverpool High School. Her crews won two gold medals and one silver medal in the 1990 Empire State Games. She also has coached competitive-to-elite-level master's women, ages 27 and over.

In 1993, she served as the assistant development coach for the U.S. Junior National Team and was tabbed the squad's head coach the following year.

From 1994 to 1998, Glenn served as an assistant rowing coach at the University of Iowa, developing the novice program while assisting in recruiting and overall team development. She helped guide the Varsity 4+ to a fourth-place finish at the inaugural NCAA Championships in 1997, and her novice squad secured two Midwest Rowing Championship titles, two Central Regional Championship titles, a Champion International Collegiate Regatta title and a bronze medal at the U.S. Rowing Collegiate National Championships. Her highlights at Iowa included upset victories at the Midwest Rowing Championships in 1995 and 1998 over Wisconsin and Ohio State, respectively.

Glenn served on the USRowing board of directors 1996-98 and on the NCAA Rowing Committee 2005-07.

For information about Atomic Rowing juniors or masters’ programs, go to atomicrowing.com or email info@orra.org.