Cupini Wins Big 12 Coach of the Year Award

IRVING, Texas – In her first season as the head coach of the Tennessee rowing program, Kim Cupini was named Big 12 Co-Head Coach of the Year, the conference announced Thursday afternoon.

Cupini earns the honor after less than a year on the job, as Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics Danny White hired her to direct the program on June 9, 2023.

It marks the first time a Tennessee rowing head coach has earned the award, with UT having joined the Big 12 Conference in the 2014-15 season.

During Tuesday's NCAA selection, the Lady Vols earned three top-seven seeds, as Tennessee was tabbed the No. 4 overall seed in the First Eight, the No. 2 seed in the Second Eight and the No. 7 seed in the Four. Tennessee's trio of NCAA Championships crews combine for a stellar 96-4 record this season.

On the year, the 1V8 Lady Vol crew posted a 32-1 record and placed second at the Big 12 Championships. Tennessee's 2V8 recorded a 33-1 record this season and brought home a second-place finish at the Big 12 Championships. An impressive 31-2 record was logged by UT's 1V4 crew, which also recorded a second-place finish at the Big 12 Championships.

The Lady Vols officially opened the season with a home dual on March 29 versus Minnesota at Melton Hill Lake in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. A Tennessee boat was victorious in each of the four races that day, with the 1V8+, 1V4+, 2V8+ and 2V4+ crews picking up wins. Tennessee's 1V8+ crew (6:18.5) crossed the finish line nearly 14 seconds ahead of Minnesota.

At the Big Ten Invitational, which ran April 19-20 at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota, Florida, Tennessee impressively won 14 of the 15 races in which it had a boat competing.

The Lady Vols' average margin of victory in its 14 wins was a whopping 9.031 seconds. There was at least one top-13 opponent in each of those 14 race wins. Furthermore, there were at least two top-13 opposing boats in nine of UT's 14 race wins. Tennessee's first varsity eight earned Big 12 Boat of the Week honors on April 24 following its performances.

The following weekend, April 26-27, Tennessee swept its 15 races en route to earning the Pocock Lake Wheeler Invitational Cup in Raleigh, North Carolina.

That showing earned the Lady Vols all 99 of the event's available points. No. 16 Duke finished second with 84 points and UCF posted 75 points, good for third place. No. 10 Syracuse placed fourth with 65 points, while 11th-ranked Pennsylvania tallied 62 points to finish fifth over the two days of rowing.

Sunday at the Big 12 Championships—Tennessee's second trip to Sarasota on the season—the Lady Vols tied a program-best finish, placing second. Medaling in every event, Tennessee's 1V8+, 2V8+, 1V4+, 2V4+ and 3V8+ crews each put down the program's fastest-ever Big 12 Championship times, respective to boat classifications.

Following the Big 12 Championships Sunday, Sarah Abrams, Alice Fahey, Meg Flanagan, Sasha Radovanovic and Emma Seawright each earned a spot on the All-Big 12 Team. Tennessee's five All-Big 12 team selections in 2024 are the most of any year for UT since joining the Big 12.

Up next for the Lady Vols are the NCAA Championships, running May 31-June 2 at East Fork/Harsha Lake in Bethel, Ohio.

University of Tennessee Athletics

Players Mentioned

Sarah Abrams

Alice Fahey

Meg Flanagan

Sasha Radovanovic

Emma Seawright

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