Andy Teitelbaum – CRCA Hall of Fame Class of 2018
Andy Teitelbaum completed his 21st season as the head coach of the Ohio State women’s rowing team in 2018. As the only head coach of the Buckeyes since the program’s inception in 1995, Teitelbaum led the Scarlet and Gray to three consecutive NCAA titles (2013-15) and four straight Big Ten championships and a total of seven B1G titles overall, a conference record. Teitelbaum-led boats have won seven national titles and 33 conference titles in event grand finals. Under his guidance, Ohio State is one of only four programs to qualify for the NCAA championships for 17 consecutive seasons, joining the ranks of Brown, Princeton and Washington.
Teitelbaum, a six-time conference and five-time central-region coach of the year, has coached athletes to 42 All-America awards, including 28 first-team recognitions. Additionally, Teitelbaum-coached athletes have earned 69 All-Big Ten awards and 66 All-Region accolades.
Academically, more than 198 student-athletes have been named Academic All-Big Ten honorees. Teitelbaum has mentored over 406 Buckeyes to Ohio State Scholar-Athlete laurels.
The first varsity eight won its third-straight national title in 2016 to become the first 1V8 boat in NCAA history to win the title three years in a row. The first varsity eight boat for Ohio State has been more than dominant over the past three years; it has combined to go 129-2 in that time span including undefeated campaigns in 2014 and 2015. No matter what varsity boat it may be, Teitelbaum has directed all of his crews to a winning clip of higher than 70 percent in his 21 years of coaching. The 2V4 (301-91/76.8 percent) has the highest percentage followed by the 2V8 (638-195/76.6 percent), 1V8 (679-238/74.0 percent) and 1V4 (590-246/70.6 percent).
OSU racked up its fourth-straight Big Ten title in 2016 as well, setting a conference record for most titles in a row. Titles from the 1V8, 2V8, 1V4 and 3V4 boats propelled the Buckeyes to a resounding victory. Catherine Shields was named the Big Ten and Ohio State Athlete of the Year for the 2015-16 calendar year. Shields, along with Sarah Asad, Sarah Davis and Stephanie Williams, were all named Division I Pocock First Team All-Americans by the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association.
In due time after the 2016 season, Teitelbaum was named the Joy of Sculling Conference Women’s Coach of the Year in December of 2016. It was the first time in his illustrious career that Teitelbaum received the honor.
In 2015, Ohio State became the first team in NCAA rowing history to win three consecutive national titles with a resounding victory at the NCAA championships last May. Along with their historic third team title, the Buckeyes also claimed an individual national title in the first varsity eight, a runner-up finish in the second varsity eight and fifth place in the first varsity four. The historic win was capped in grand fashion when the first varsity eight defeated previously unbeaten and No. 1-ranked California to cap a second consecutive undefeated season.
OSU also collected a third Big Ten title in a row and fourth in five seasons in 2015, becoming the first team in conference history to win three consecutive team titles. The Buckeyes totaled a regatta-record 186 points and claimed gold in six of seven events, also a B1G record.
Four Buckeyes – Holly Norton, Ashley Bauer, Sarah Davis and Catherine Shields were named All-Americans. Bauer earned Ohio State Female Athlete of the Year honors and became the fifth OSU rower to be named Big Ten Rowing Athlete of the Year. Davis was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
Teitelbaum and the Buckeyes made history with their second-consecutive national title in 2014, becoming the fifth team to win back-to-back NCAA championships and the first since Brown in 2008. With gold medal finishes in the first varsity eight and second varsity eight, the Buckeyes became the fourth team in NCAA history to win both events at the national regatta in the same year. The first varsity eight ended the season with an unblemished record for its first national title in the event, becoming the second-consecutive Scarlet and Gray crew to finish the season undefeated after the second varsity eight did so in 2013.
Shields, Bauer, Norton, Victoria Lazur and Claire-Louise Bode collected All-Americans accolades. Shields received Ohio State Female Athlete of the Year honors and was named Big Ten Rowing Athlete of the Year.
A fifth Big Ten title and third in four years was also won in 2014 as team earned B1G titles in five events en route to 164 points and a comfortable victory.
The Buckeyes broke through on the national stage in 2013, capturing their first NCAA team championship in addition to national titles in the first varsity four and second varsity eight. In doing so, the Buckeyes became the first Big Ten rowing program and the first women’s program at Ohio State to win an NCAA championship. In a record-setting year for Ohio State rowing, the Buckeyes won a second-consecutive national title in the first varsity four, which had previously brought home the program’s first national title in 2012. In addition, the second varsity eight closed out the season with an unbeaten record and its first national title. Bode became the first rower under Teitelbaum to earn Ohio State Female Athlete of the Year honors and the third rower to be named Big Ten Rowing Athlete of the Year.
Ohio State captured its fourth conference title at the 2013 Big Ten Championships. In a tightly contested championship, the Buckeye first varsity eight clinched the team title after placing first in the final race of the morning to tally 63 points toward the team total and championship record 160 points. Altogether, Teitelbaum coached five of seven crews to gold medals.
The 2011 Big Ten Championship at Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis, Ind., was won by the Buckeyes in dramatic fashion, eventually paving the way for a 10th-place finish overall at the NCAA championships. No. 10 Ohio State held a slim three-point lead over Wisconsin and a nine-point advantage over Michigan heading into the final race. A win or runner-up finish from the first varsity eight by the Buckeyes, Badgers or Wolverines would lock up the championship for that team. Ohio State crossed the line in 6:20.53 to take second place behind Michigan State, capturing its third Big Ten title.
Ohio State won its second Big Ten championship in 2006 courtesy of first-place finishes by the first and second varsity eights. Teitelbaum was named Big Ten Coach of the Year for the second time in his career, complementing his three CRCA Central Region Coach of the Year awards (2002-04). The 2006 campaign also saw Ninett Kossowsky garner Big Ten Rower of the Year accolades.
The Buckeyes reached the top of the national rankings in 2004, holding the No. 1 ranking for five-consecutive weeks. The first varsity eight went undefeated in dual races (8-0) throughout the regular season, garnering four-consecutive Big Ten Boat of the Week honors. Annabelle Fago, a member of the first varsity eight, became the second Buckeye to earn Big Ten Freshman of the Year accolades (Phaedra Giblin, 2000).
Teitelbaum and the Buckeyes’ first Big Ten championship came in 2002 after four crews (first novice eight, second varsity four, second varsity eight and first varsity eight) won their respective Grand Final races. Conny Kirsch became Ohio State’s first Big Ten Rower of the Year honoree and was the first rower in conference history to earn three First Team All-Big Ten honors.
Six of Teitelbaum’s former student-athletes have earned the prestigious distinction of being inducted into the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame. Kirsch was the program’s first inductee in 2007, while Maxi Meissner (2000-03) solidified her place in Ohio State athletics history with her 2008 honor. In 2009, Karla Fiserova (2001-03) became the third rower to earn the coveted status. Former assistant coach Diana “Didi” Albrecht (2002-05) was inducted as part of the Class of 2011 while Ninett Kossowsky (2002-06) was inducted as a member of the Class of 2013. Annabelle Fago (2004-07) is the most recent Hall of Fame addition as a member of the 2015 class.
A native of Plainview, N.Y., Teitelbaum spent seven years as head coach of the Rutgers women’s rowing team prior to taking over as head coach at Ohio State. At Rutgers, he developed a competitive program consisting primarily of novice walk-ons. His teams took Top-10 finishes at the Eastern championships in five of his seven years as head coach and Rutgers won the Women’s Points Trophy at the 1995 IRA Regatta.
Before taking over as head coach at Rutgers, Teitelbaum served as the freshman lightweight men’s coach. Under his leadership, Rutgersr crews raced for a dual record of 15-1, with his first crew posting an undefeated regular-season record. The team went on to take a silver medal at the Eastern championships.
Teitelbaum graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a bachelor’s degree in economics from Rutgers in 1987. He resides in Columbus with his wife, Jennifer. He has a son, Benjamin.