Steve Hope - Women's Rowing - Open Coach - Princeton University Athletics

Steve Hope

Title:
Assistant Coach
Email:
smhope@princeton.edu

Hope is in his third season with Princeton in 2024.

The first varsity finished third at the NCAA Rowing Championships behind Stanford and Washington in 2023. It was the third time ever that the boat has medaled at NCAAs in consecutive years (2009-10, 2005-06).

Princeton also finished third in the NCAA team standings, trailing Stanford (129) and Washington (120). It was the second straight season the Tigers were third, marking the first time in program history that the Tigers finished top three in consecutive seasons. Head coach Lori Dauphiny's squad was the top Ivy school with Yale going fifth (110), Penn sixth (62) and Brown seventh (91).

The 2022 season saw Princeton place third at the NCAA team standings behind Texas and Stanford, the best mark since earning silver in 1997. The Varsity Four of Roopa Venkatraman, Hailey Mead, Catherine Garrett, Natasha Neitzell and Lauren Johnson won the national title (7:05.23) over Ohio State (7:06.46), Texas (7:07.18), Stanford (7:08.54), Washington (7:10.78) and Brown (7:19.22).

The gold medal marks the first V4 medal in program history at the NCAA Rowing Championships. Venkatraman, Mead, Garrett, Neitzell and Johnson join the likes of the 1997 2V, 2006 1V and 2011 1V as the only golds in team history at NCAAs.

Princeton's 1V trailed by a second in the first 500m to Texas before the Longhorns pulled away from the entire field (6:10.73). The Tigers were neck and neck with Stanford, but the Cardinal secured second place (6:15.43). Princeton (6:17.70) kept California (6:18.78) at bay to secure the bronze. It was the 1V's best finish since a silver in 2013.

Hope '92 was a lightweight rower for the Tigers, serving as captain and chosen for the Sikes Medal as the MVP during his time with Princeton. He is an USRowing Level 2 coach with years of experience. Most recently, he spent time coaching the Norcal Crew and Palo Alto Rowing Club.