Women's Rowing
William Rafferty
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- wrafferty@scarletknights.com
- Phone:
- 609-969-7113
William Rafferty joined the Rutgers women's rowing program for the start of the 2025-26 season.
In 2026, Rafferty helped the Scarlet Knights return to the NCAA Championships for the seventh consecutive season with the Varsity 4 tying for the highest finish by a boat in program history with a fourth-place performance and coming in 1.328 seconds away from reaching the podium for the first time in school history. The Scarlet Knights finished 11th nationally and were Big Ten runner-ups for the second-straight season, including gold for the 3rd Varsity 8. Three Scarlet Knights were named CRCA All-Americans and RU earned a program-record nine Big Ten Boat of the Week honors. Additionally, RU continued to shine on the international stage with a pair of medals at the 2026 U23 World Championships.
Rafferty arrived on “On The Banks” after serving as an assistant coach at Oregon State for the last four seasons.
While on staff with the Beavers, Oregon State finished at No. 21 at the IRA National Championship in 2025 along with a 10th-place showing by the Men’s Championship Fours at the 2024 Head of the Charles Regatta, a No. 22 finish at the 2023 IRA Championships and the Varsity 8 winning the fourth final to place 19th overall at the 2022 IRA Championship.
Most recently, in August of 2025, Rafferty coached the Penn AC men's U23 program to a third-place finish at the Canadian Henley Regatta.
No stranger to New Jersey, Rafferty previously worked with the Moorestown Rowing Club and South Jersey Rowing Club as an assistant coach. During his stint with the Moorestown Rowing Club, Rafferty coached the men’s varsity program, including two U17 boats and a U19 boat to grand finals in the U23 category.
Scholastically, Rafferty was a varsity rower at Marietta College, primarily as a port-side oarsman. He raced in the Varsity 8 at the IRA Championships in 2021 and competed in the Dad Vail Regatta on three occasions. A two-time All-Mid-Atlantic Rowing Conference honoree, he was also the recipient of Marietta's J. Ellis McDonald Award.
A 2021 graduate of Marietta College, Rafferty earned a bachelor's degree in economics.
In 2026, Rafferty helped the Scarlet Knights return to the NCAA Championships for the seventh consecutive season with the Varsity 4 tying for the highest finish by a boat in program history with a fourth-place performance and coming in 1.328 seconds away from reaching the podium for the first time in school history. The Scarlet Knights finished 11th nationally and were Big Ten runner-ups for the second-straight season, including gold for the 3rd Varsity 8. Three Scarlet Knights were named CRCA All-Americans and RU earned a program-record nine Big Ten Boat of the Week honors. Additionally, RU continued to shine on the international stage with a pair of medals at the 2026 U23 World Championships.
Rafferty arrived on “On The Banks” after serving as an assistant coach at Oregon State for the last four seasons.
While on staff with the Beavers, Oregon State finished at No. 21 at the IRA National Championship in 2025 along with a 10th-place showing by the Men’s Championship Fours at the 2024 Head of the Charles Regatta, a No. 22 finish at the 2023 IRA Championships and the Varsity 8 winning the fourth final to place 19th overall at the 2022 IRA Championship.
Most recently, in August of 2025, Rafferty coached the Penn AC men's U23 program to a third-place finish at the Canadian Henley Regatta.
No stranger to New Jersey, Rafferty previously worked with the Moorestown Rowing Club and South Jersey Rowing Club as an assistant coach. During his stint with the Moorestown Rowing Club, Rafferty coached the men’s varsity program, including two U17 boats and a U19 boat to grand finals in the U23 category.
Scholastically, Rafferty was a varsity rower at Marietta College, primarily as a port-side oarsman. He raced in the Varsity 8 at the IRA Championships in 2021 and competed in the Dad Vail Regatta on three occasions. A two-time All-Mid-Atlantic Rowing Conference honoree, he was also the recipient of Marietta's J. Ellis McDonald Award.
A 2021 graduate of Marietta College, Rafferty earned a bachelor's degree in economics.
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