Rowing Adds Neihart, Graves to Staff for 2025-26 Season
8/12/2025 9:00:00 AM | Rowing
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan rowing coach Mark Rothstein announced on Tuesday (Aug. 12) the addition of Maegan Neihart and Gabrielle Graves to the program's coaching staff for the 2025-26 season. Former graduate assistant Neihart returns as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, while program alumna Graves will work with the development squad.
"Our program is going to benefit greatly from the addition of these two coaches," said Rothstein. "Each brings a great amount of experience and their own skill sets, and both understand what Michigan Rowing is all about. I am excited to get started with them and see the positive effect I know they will have on our student-athletes."
Neihart, previously a graduate assistant with the program, joined the Wolverines for the 2022-23 season and now returns in a full-time position. On the staff during U-M's 2023 Big Ten champion campaign, Neihart worked with the novice boats, which won gold (1N8) and silver (2N8) at the postseason event.
Neihart returns to the Wolverines after coaching in a full-time position with Stanford over the past two seasons, which included its 2025 national championship campaign. Neihart coached the fours that won gold medals at the ACC Championships and was the lead coach of the 1V4, which won a national title. Stanford won two conference championships (PAC-12, 2024; ACC, 2025) while Neihart was on staff.
"I am thrilled to have Maegan back at Michigan," said Rothstein of Neihart's hiring. "Maegan is one of the best young coaches in the nation, and she is going to make an immediate impact. As good a coach as Maegan is, she is an even better person, and I look forward to working with her to get our program back to the top of collegiate rowing. Maegan is very intelligent, and she translates that knowledge to the team. Just as important, she understands the values and vision of Michigan Rowing."
Prior to her first year in Ann Arbor, Neihart was an assistant at Stanford for the 2021-22 season following her time coaching with the Saratoga Rowing Association at the U.S. National Team Satellite Training Center. Neihart, a native of Bettany, Okla., rowed at OU from 2014-17, where she collected three All-Big 12 honors and three silver medals with the 1V8. In 2016, Neihart was named the Big 12 Rower of the Year.
Graves, a four-year varsity rower at U-M, enters her first year in a coaching role after graduating from Michigan's School of Literature, Science, and the Arts with a degree in economics this past spring. A native of Seattle, Wash., Graves set various world record times in the 15-16 and 17-18 age categories before joining the Wolverines.
At Michigan, Graves was a key contributor on two Big Ten champion teams (2023, '24) and earned individual boat gold on each (1V8 and 1V4, respectively). Graves is a one-time CRCA All-American (second team, 2025), two-time All-Big Ten honoree (second team, 2023; first team, 2025), and two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree (2023, '24).
"Gabbie absolutely loves the sport of rowing, and I am excited to have her bring that passion to her coaching and her recruiting. Gabbie is extremely smart, and she has an exceptionally strong rowing background. She is accomplished as a Wolverine and knows what it takes to succeed in the Big Ten. I am excited for Gabbie to transition from an athlete to a coach and to continue to see the impact she has on our program."
