Women's Rowing | July 17, 2026

PHILADELPHIA – Tyler Nase, an Olympian who previously spent five seasons at Penn with the men's lightweight program and most recently was the head men's lightweight rowing coach at Cornell, has been named the head women's rowing coach at Penn. Nase will begin his duties on July 20.

"Tyler embodies everything we were looking for in the next leader of Penn Women's Rowing," Alanna Wren, the T. Gibbs Kane, Jr. W'69 Director of Athletics and Recreation said. "He is an Olympian, an accomplished coach with a proven record of developing championship-caliber student-athletes, and someone who understands what makes Penn special from his previous time on our campus. Beyond his impressive résumé, Tyler is a thoughtful leader who is deeply committed to the holistic development of our student-athletes. We are thrilled to welcome him and his family back to Penn and are excited for the future of our women's rowing program under his leadership."

"I'm deeply grateful to Alanna Wren and Denise Poole, Senior Associate AD for Student-Athlete Success, for the opportunity to lead this next chapter of Penn women's rowing," Nase said. "Twenty years ago, my rowing career began on the Schuylkill, and my coaching career began right here at Penn, so stepping into this role feels like coming home. 
"I've witnessed what this program is capable of, and I'm excited to be a part of it. Women's rowing is one of the largest and most competitive sports in college athletics—the female equivalent of college football in scale and depth. Penn has the foundation for success: a world-class boathouse, a phenomenal body of water in the Schuylkill River, and an amazing strength and conditioning facility in the Greene Family Intercollegiate Strength and Conditioning Center, all right in the heart of Philadelphia."

While at Cornell, Nase's teams captured several cup races each year and were among the top teams at the Eastern Sprints and IRA National Championships. Highlights included wins at the Head of the Charles and Princeton Chase in 2022, a Lake Carnegie course record by the varsity eight in 2025, and Cornell's best IRA Presidents Trophy finish in five years, placing fourth in 2024.

Nase was the John R. Rockwell Assistant Coach for the men's lightweight program at Penn from 2017-22, helping the Quakers to their first Eastern Sprints title in 50 years in 2019, as well as a third-place finish nationally. In 2021, Penn was second at IRAs.  In Cup races during Nase's tenure, Penn won the Callow Cup over Navy in 2019, while in 2022 the Quakers wrested the Wood-Hammond Cup from Princeton for the first time since 2005, beating the Tigers on their Lake Carnegie home course for the first time since 1978. 

"Penn Women's Rowing has the foundation of a championship program in a field where the sport is attracting more investment nationally than ever," Daphne Klausner, CGS'88, G'93 PAR'18, Chair of the Friends of the Penn Rowing Board said. "Tyler's commitment to excellence and his collaborative approach together with Al (Monte) and Colin (Farrell) will make the experience for these women athletes unrivaled."

"Coming into this role, I want to listen first, then lead," Nase said. "My goal is to build a program where every athlete feels heard, supported, and pushed to become the best version of herself on and off the water. This next chapter is about continued development and growth for our athletes and for this program."

The Phoenixville, Pa. native and La Salle College High School graduate competed and trained with the U.S. Olympic team from 2013-16. He was a member of the Men's Lightweight Four at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, and has also competed in eight World Championships and two World Cup regattas as a member of the U.S. National Team. He won a bronze medal at the 2016 World Cup, silver at the 2013 World Cup, and bronze at the 2008 Junior World Championships.

Nase was a four-year letter winner in lightweight rowing at Princeton, and earned the program's Gordon Sikes Medal as a senior captain. A three-time member of the Tigers' Varsity 8 boat, he helped lead Princeton to an IRA National title in 2010.

Nase graduated from Princeton in 2013 with a degree in sociology. He earned a master's of business administration from Temple in 2023.