Scarlet Knight alumna and a two-time CRCA Regional Staff of the Year honoree, Olivia Betz, has served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for Rutgers women’s rowing since 2022.
As a member of Justin Price’s CRCA Regional Staff of the Year in 2025, a region that includes the entire Big Ten Conference, along with independent institutions, Rutgers produced the most successful season in the 50 years of the varsity program. RU placed eighth at the 2025 NCAA Championships, which included a fifth-place finish for the Varsity 4 in the grand final, the Scarlet Knights' highest-ever finish for the boat at the national regatta. Additionally, the Scarlet Knights had their best-ever Big Ten showing as conference runner-up while winning a program-record six medals, including silver medals by the Varsity 4 and 2nd Varsity 4 coached by Betz. Altogether, the 2025 campaign saw Rutgers have four student-athletes named CRCA All-Americans and five earn All-Big Ten honors..
Rutgers’ 2024-25 season also included winning the Island Challenge Cup in the first-ever appearance at the prestigious Henley Royal Regatta and four Scarlet Knights competing for their home countries at the U23 World Championships.
Betz was the lead on all three fours in 2024 as the 3rd Varsity 4 won their second consecutive gold medal at the Big Ten Championships. Nationally, she helped to guide the Varsity 4 to a 10th-place showing at the NCAA Championships.
During the 2022-23 campaign, Betz coached RU's Varsity 4, 2nd Varsity 4, and 3rd Varsity to medals at the Big Ten Championships, including the team's first-ever Big Ten Championship title by the 3rd Varsity 4.
Since becoming a Scarlet Knight assistant in 2022, Rutgers has produced 10 CRCA All-Americans and sent seven Scarlet Knights to the U23 World Championships, winning a total of five medals.
Betz is in her second stint as a member of Price’s staff after joining the coaching ranks as a volunteer assistant at her alma mater for the 2020-21 season. Earning her first CRCA Regional Staff of the Year recognition, Betz helped the Scarlet Knights to a then-program best third-place Big Ten Championships finish and a school-best seventh-place result at the NCAA Championships.
Betz also spent the 2021-22 season as an assistant coach at Gonzaga, where she helped lead the team to an 18th-place national finish at the NCAA Championships.
As a student-athlete at Rutgers, Betz won a Big Ten Boat of the Week award, rowed the 2nd Varsity 8 to a program-best fourth-place finish at the Big Ten Championship and placed 11th in the country at the NCAA Championships with her teammates in 2019.
A sport management major at Rutgers, Betz earned her bachelor’s degree in 2020.
