Sports: Coaching Updates

The rowing, lacrosse, and squash teams will go into the 2021–22 seasons with new leadership. Each of the prominent programs announced coaching changes late this spring.

Rowing

Serra Sevenler ’15 takes over as director of rowing and women’s rowing head coach in August.

Most recently an assistant coach at Columbia University, Sevenler was the women’s varsity coach at RIT for two seasons and was an assistant coach at Rochester under John Gaskin from whom she’ll take over the program. Gaskin announced his retirement earlier this year.

As an undergraduate at Rochester, Sevenler was team captain her junior and senior year and was named to the all–Liberty League team as a senior.

Lacrosse

Carly Ritchlin has been named the new women’s lacrosse head coach, and began the role in August.

With more than 200 career victories during her 19-year coaching career, including 18 at nearby SUNY Geneseo, she ranks among the top 20 active coaches in Division III in career wins.

While at Geneseo, Ritchlin led the Knights to the NCAA Division III tournament twice, in 2013 and 2014, earning the school’s first ever NCAA appearances. In addition, she guided Geneseo to the SUNYAC conference championship game six times and was named the SUNYAC Coach of the Year twice.

Squash

Mario Yanez Tapia ’17 has been named squash head coach, and longtime coach Martin Heath ’10S (MBA) has been appointed as director of men’s squash elite performance.

Yanez Tapia has served as assistant coach for three seasons. As a player, he earned First Team All-America honors all four years at Rochester. He was an intercollegiate doubles champion and was ranked as the No. 2 individual in college squash in his senior year. Yanez Tapia ended his Rochester career as the program’s all-time wins leader (70) over his four seasons.

Heath is credited with changing the trajectory of the squash program over his 16 years as head coach.

Since taking over the program in 2005–06, Heath has an overall record of 166–88 (.654) including a 46–11 conference record in the Liberty League. Heath led Rochester to its first ever appearance in the national championship match in 2015–16 and has coached two players to the finals of the sport’s individual championships.

The Scotland native also has been selected as Liberty League Coach of the Year nine times during his tenure.