Carcagno named varsity assistant coach
September 14, 2009 | Men's Rowing
Wisconsin head coach Chris Clark announced Monday that former volunteer coach Simon Carcagno will fill the role of varsity assistant coach for the men's rowing team.
Carcagno has years of experience as a collegiate and high school rowing coach, as well as personal experience as a member of the US national team and as a Princeton student-athlete.
Carcagno graduated from Princeton University with an A.B. (Artium Baccalaureatus) in Public Policy from the Woodrow Wilson School in 1998 following four years on the men 's rowing team. After walking on the team his freshman year, Carcagno co-captained the undefeated national champion varsity eight as a senior and was awarded the Bayard W. Read Class of 1926 Award for most improved athlete over four years. Upon graduation, Carcagno served as a volunteer coach at his alma mater for the next year.
In 2002, the Princeton standout accepted a position as coach at the Mercer Junior Rowing Club in West Windsor, N.J. Over the course of five years, Carcagno assisted in conditioning high school athletes for national team programs as well as priming them for success in collegiate programs.
Carcagno also spent six years (2002-08) in elite training as a member of the U.S. national team. He represented the U.S. as an alternate on two Olympic teams, one Pan-Am team and seven senior national teams. Carcagno's accomplishments on the national team include winning the world championships in the lightweight eight in 2008, capturing the silver medal at the Pan American Games lightweight four in 2007, placing third in the lightweight pair in 2003, and taking second in the lightweight pair at the Munich and Lucerne world cups in 2004. Carcagno was also part of the duo that was the first-ever U.S. finalist in the lightweight pair at the World Championships in 2002. Through his experience racing and training internationally, Carcagno gained a solid understanding of how to move boats effectively and how to race to win.
Following his involvement in international racing, Carcagno came to Wisconsin to assist the men's program as a volunteer coach last season. He worked closely with the Sprints-winning third varsity eight and the IRA-runner up open four squads.
After former varsity assistant coach Matt Boyle took the head freshman coach position, Carcagno moved into his current position assisting head coach Chris Clark with the varsity team.
