This article is featured in the 2025 Freshman Special Issue.
In his tenth year as Dartmouth’s heavyweight rowing head coach, Wyatt Allen received the Intercollegiate Rowing Coaches Association National Coach of the Year award. Allen led the varsity eight to its first Olympic Axe win against Yale, second at the Eastern Sprints regatta and third at the IRA national championships, a significant jump from 11th place the year before. In addition, the team won duals against other prominent programs like Syracuse and Columbia. The Dartmouth sat down with Allen to discuss his journey as a coach, the keys to his team’s success and how he became an Olympic gold medalist rower himself.
Congratulations on winning the IRCA National Coach of the Year! How did it feel to win the award?
WA: It is a very cool honor, particularly because it is voted on by our peers and competitors. At the same time, it really is a team award — it was the guys’ hard work and commitment that put us in a position to be successful, and it was their performances on race day that won the races. I would also add the hard work of coaches Sabrina Bohrer and Jack Smith to the list of those deserving credit.
What was the key to the team’s improvement from the 2023-24 season to 2024-25?
WA: I think the leadership of the Class of 2025 was a huge piece of the puzzle, and not just the seniors in the top eight. All of the seniors came into the year and doubled down on the training, committed to doing the little things and made certain sacrifices outside of the boathouse, and they brought the rest of the team along with them in doing all of this. It was student-athlete-driven and fun to watch and be a part of.
What were the biggest highlights of the season?
WA: Three moments stand out to me as highlights. First, when the 1V boat finished third in the Championship Eight at the Head of the Charles and proved that they had the speed to compete with the best crews in the country and from around the world. Next, when the team won three medals at the Eastern Sprints. The 1V was ranked high coming into the regatta, but our lower boats were ranked significantly lower. All of our crews outperformed their seedings, leading to three medals and a great team day. Finally, when the varsity handled tough conditions and a very competitive field at the National Championship to put together a great piece in the final to finish less than a second out of silver and just over a second behind the University of Washington, the national champions.
How has your coaching style evolved over your 11 years at Dartmouth and over 15 years coaching at large? What are the biggest lessons you’ve learned?
WA: I know the guys from my early years at Dartmouth would tell me I’ve softened my style quite a bit, and I think they’re right. I think I’ve learned to pace the year better, to make four years of hard work and training as sustainable as possible for the team and to maximize all the opportunities we have here at Dartmouth.
Many rowers have commented on your ability to transform athletes not only on the water, but also as people. How do you develop your rowers and the program at large?
WA: That’s a very nice compliment. I’ve been very lucky to coach a ton of great athletes and even better people during my time at Dartmouth, and throughout my career. Rowing is maybe one of the simplest sports in the sense that there is a very direct correlation between the work you put in and the results you see on the erg and the water. Once we get individuals to see and buy into that, development follows pretty quickly. In terms of developing people, I do my best to lead.
