Jessica Lizzi recently completed her 19th season at Rhode Island in the spring of 2025 and has been instrumental in helping the Rams capture 10 Atlantic 10 championships.
Rhode Island won its 11th Atlantic 10 title in 2025, clinching the crown when the Varsity 8+ crossed the finish line three seconds before the rest of the field. Rhody had entered the final race with a one-point advantage over George Washington, who ultimately finished second in the team standings. For the second year in a row, head coach Shelagh Donohoe was named A-10 Coach of the Year while Bella Bruno (First Team), Bethany Nordstrom (First Team), Hailey Pardi (First Team) and Abigail Galayda (Second Team) earned All-Conference honors. URI advanced to the NCAA Championship as the league's automatic bid, placing 21st at the event.
URI captured its 10th Atlantic 10 title in 2024, winning a thrilling race in the Varsity 8+ to secure the championship. Lizzi helped guide four Rams to All-Conference honors in Catie Castle (First Team), Nicole Jones (First Team), Bethany Nordstrom (First Team) and Emma Barnhart (Second Team). The team then advanced to the NCAA Championship, where it secured its highest-ever finish at 20th. Rhody's Varsity 8+ highlighted the action by winning the D Final. Following completion of the season, Castle earned Honorable Mention All-American honors to become the first two-time All-American in program history. Rhode Island then made the trip to the Henley Women's Regatta, competing in the Island Challenge Cup.
In 2023, the Rams placed second at the A-10 Championship and had four rowers earn All-Conference honors. Julia Fortin and Catie Castle received First team nods, while Nicole Jones and Hailey Pardi landed on the second team. Castle was later named a Third Team CRCA All-American and represented the program as a member of the quadruple sculls that competed for Team USA at the U23 World Championship.
The 2022 campaign saw the team capture its fourth-straight Atlantic 10 title, winning both the Varsity 8+ and the Varsity 4+ events. Rhody rowers Jennae Alexander, Catie Castle and Kathy Zeglen garnered First Team accolades while Anna Sampson was slotted onto the Second Team. At the ensuing NCAA Championship, the team placed 21st nationally.
With no conference championship held in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, URI's A-10 title in 2021 was its third in a row. That June, the Rhode Island staff was named the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association Region 1 Staff of the Year. Rhody then went on to its fifth NCAA Championship appearance, placing 21st in the country. Emily Winslow, Sarah Dudinski and Jennae Alexandar were named All-Atlantic 10 First Team and Katie Usher was selected to the Second Team.
In 2019, Lizzi helped lead the Rams to their second straight Atlantic 10 title. Rhode Island qualified for the NCAA Championship for the fourth time in program history, placing 21st nationally. The Varsity 4+ boat finished 19th in its flight, the best finish ever by a Rhode Island boat at the national championship.
Rhode Island seniors Erika Pena, Allie Reilly and Maddie Van Ummersen were each named to the 2019 Atlantic 10 All-Conference First Team, while classmate Katie Shattuck earned second-team honors. The Rams also had three women named to the 2019 Atlantic 10 Academic All-Conference Team, as senior Mekenzie Mattheson, junior Emily Winslow and sophomore Katie Usher were among 10 women to receive the honor.
Rhode Island won its sixth Atlantic 10 Championship and earned the program's third bid to the NCAA Championship in 2018. The Rams placed 21st in the country at the national championship. Kiana Anderson, Meghan Ellis and Katie Shattuck all earned first-team recognition, while Lucy Moyes was a second-team honoree. During their championship season, Lizzi helped the Rams raise more than $40,000 to fund a trip for the program to compete in the prestigious Henley Women's Regatta in England during the summer of 2018. It marked the second time the Rams will compete at Henley during her tenure.
The Rams placed second at the A-10 Championship and had four rowers named to the all-conference team in 2017. Kiana Anderson and Katie Shattuck were on the first team, while Meghan Ellis and Erin Sweeney garnered second-team honors. Ellis and Lucy Moyes were named to the A-10 Academic All-Conference Team. Both women were among a group of seven Rhode Island rowers to earn CRCA Scholar-Athlete Award recognition.
In 2016, she helped Rhode Island win the fifth Atlantic 10 Championship in program history. The Rams also earned their second spot in the NCAA Championship.
In 2013, Lizzi helped coach the Rams to the first NCAA Championship appearance in program history. By winning its second straight A-10 title, Rhody earned the first automatic bid in program and conference history. The Rams were one of 22 teams natioanlly to qualify for the championship field.
The 2012-13 Rams earned several indivudal accolades. Sophomore Kate Capistran was a CRCA Second-Team All-American and a First-Team All-Region honoree. Four women were named to the A-10 All-Conference Team, as seniors Anne Mulholland, Lotte Sherman and Alice Murray garnered first-team honors. Senior Ari Wakeman was a second-team selection. Junior Chelsea Paulin and sophomore Hannah Milam earned A-10 Academic All-Conference honors.
In addition to helping Rhode Island win the 2012 A-10 title, Lizzi was named Assistant Coach of the Year (New England Region) by the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association for the third time in her career. She also won the honor in 2008 and 2010. In 2012, she worked especially close with the second varsity 8 boat, which had a 13-1 record for the season, including the fastest time at the conference meet. In her first season at Rhody, Lizzi coached the Second Varsity 8 and the Varsity 4, helping both capture first-place at the Atlantic 10 Championship.
Lizzi began her coaching career at her alma mater, Rutgers, and made stops at Northeastern and Boston University before arriving at URI in 2006.
A standout coxswain for the Scarlet Knights, Lizzi helped Rutgers win the Big East Championship as a senior captain in 1997 and a spot in the NCAA Championship. For her efforts, she was named Most Valuable Athlete.
Lizzi holds a Bachelors Degree in exercise science with a concentration in cardiac care. She earned her Masters Degree in public administration from Northeastern in 2002.
