Carr, Darley Added to Women's Crew Staff
July 23, 2002 | Lightweight Rowing
Women's rowing coach Maren LaLiberty announced today that Dusty Darley has joined the crew staff as the novice lightweight rowing coach, while Mitz Carr will join the staff as the assistant varsity coach and recruiting coordinator.
Darley, the Badger lightweight women's crew captain in 2000 '01, has been named the novice lightweight coach after spending the 2001 '02 season as the team's volunteer assistant coach for the lightweights.
A three-time Academic All-Big Ten rower, Darley helped the Badgers to their first No. 1 national ranking during the 1999'00 season. The team finished third at the IRA National Championship that year. In 2000'01, she helped the team to their first Head of the Charles and San Diego Crew Classic titles as team MVP. The team went on to finish second at the IRA National Championship, their highest result to date.
The St. Paul, Minn., native earned her bachelor's degree in art history from the UW in December of 2001. She will make $25,000 and has already started with the staff.
'I am delighted to have a UW crew alum on our staff, ' beamed LaLiberty. 'Dusty brings an understanding and appreciation for the sport of lightweight women's rowing that few others in our field have. I'm confident that she will produce the type of student-athletes who will continue to make Wisconsin Lightweight Crew one of the fastest teams in the country.'
Carr begins her collegiate rowing coaching career with the Badgers following a nearly 10-year career in various sales positions for Aetna Health Insurance in Connecticut. While in the business world, Carr found time for crew, serving as the chairperson for The Head of the Housatonic Regatta since 1996. From 1995 through 2001, the Philadelphia native served stints with the New Haven Rowing Club as its president, vice president and member of its board of directors. She coached the club's Learn to Row program, which taught adults to row, and served as a private sculling coach during different times during her association with the club. She also chaired The Derby Sweeps & Sculls regatta for three years and has been regatta chairperson at Yale home races since 1992.
The 1987 Rollins College graduate with a degree in English was a four-year rower, and three-time varsity letterwinner, winning the team's MVP award during her senior season. Following her collegiate rowing career, she finished third in the women's lightweight single and women's lightweight double at the 1992 National Team Trials. Most recently, Carr took third at the 2000 Head of the Charles in the women's masters single. She also competes in marathons and triathlons placing third in the 1997 Espirit Ironman and racing in the New York City and Boston Marathons, among others.
Carr will earn $30,000 and will begin her duties Aug. 1.
'Mitz has a true love for rowing as shown by her involvement in every aspect of the sport; she has been a competitor, coach, regatta organizer and rowing club president,' said LaLiberty. 'She also has the professionalism and business experience needed to develop and maintain a coherent recruiting plan that will be effective during this period of immense change in women's rowing. I am delighted that this key position on our staff was filled by such a highly qualified individual. '
