Originally published June 13, 2007 at 12:00 AM | Page modified June 26, 2007 at 9:01 PM

UW women's rowing coach fired

The University of Washington has fired head women's rowing coach Eleanor McElvaine, with one year remaining on her contract.

The Associated Press

The University of Washington has fired head women's rowing coach Eleanor McElvaine, with one year remaining on her contract.

"The women's rowing program at Washington has a history of great success on a national level," athletic director Todd Turner said in a statement announcing the firing on Wednesday. "Being among the country's top programs presents a number of challenges, not the least of which is maintaining our ability to compete for national championships."

Turner said the Washington women's rowing program "has not been able to maintain its position for the last several years and I feel that it is in the best interests of the long-term direction for the Husky women's crew to make a change."

This season, Washington finished 10th as an at-large participant among the 12 teams invited to compete in the NCAA championships. UW finished third in the Pac-10 Conference championships.

Executive associate athletic director Jeff Compher and director of rowing Bob Ernst will immediately launch a national search for a new coach, the announcement said.

The UW men's varsity eight won its 12th national title on June 2, capturing the Intercollegiate Rowing Association title at Cherry Hill, N.J.

McElvaine, 44, succeeded Jan Harville as head coach in the summer of 2003 when Harville retired. McElvaine was the Huskies women's novice coach for 13 seasons.

She is a 1985 UW graduate and is in the Husky Hall of Fame as a member of the 1983 national championship women's crew.

McElvaine, a graduate of Everett's Cascade High School, earned a base salary of $65,160 this season.

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