William Smith Head Rowing Coach Paul Bugenhagen has announced that recent graduate Linnea Darius ’26 will join the Herons’ coaching 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 bachelor’s degrees in biology and environmental studies. She is coming off one of the most successful seasons in program history, earning first-team All-America honors and becoming a finalist for the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association Division III Athlete of the Year award.
Serving as the stroke seat in William Smith’s varsity eight, Darius helped guide the Herons to a third-place finish at the NCAA Division III Championships. It marked the program’s first NCAA medal since 2013 and matched William Smith’s best-ever team finish at the national championships.
She also earned first-team All-Liberty League honors and was a member of the Liberty League Crew of the Year after helping the Herons capture their first conference championship since 2016 with a 10-second victory at the league regatta. Darius added a bronze medal at the New York State Championships and a silver medal in the varsity four at the prestigious Head of the Charles Regatta during the fall season.
A four-year member of the Herons’ varsity eight, Darius also earned second-team All-Liberty League recognition as a sophomore. At this year’s Herons Awards Banquet, she received both the Winn-Seeley Award and the S. Ford Weiskittel Most Valuable Oarswoman Award.
“Linnea is an elite communicator, leader, and oarswoman,” Bugenhagen said. “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.”
Bugenhagen added that he looks forward to supporting Darius as she transitions from standout athlete to coach.
“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,” he said. “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.”
