Liz Tuppen - Rowing Coach - University of Michigan Athletics

Liz Tuppen

Title:
Assistant Coach

Cell Phone: 734-277-8755
Email: women.rowing@umich.edu

Now in her 14th season with the University of Michigan women's rowing program, Liz Tuppen is in her third year as Associate Head Coach in 2025-26 following 10 seasons as an assistant coach. Tuppen was named Associate Head Coach on September 27, 2022. Like all the program's coaches, Tuppen works with the entire team, but in the spring she focuses on the second varsity eight (2V8) boat. She is also part of the staff with USRowing, having coached as part of the U.S. Under-23 selection camp in 2020 and 2021. She is the current president of the U.S. Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA).

Tuppen has been part of the staff for four Big Ten Championships (2019, '21, '23, '24) and was a member of the 2019 and 2024 CRCA Region 4 Staffs of the Year.

In the eight years since Tuppen began working closely with the second varsity eight, the boat has won six Big Ten Titles out of nine (2015, '17, '19, '21, '22, '24), finishing fourth in 2016, third in 2025, and second in 2018 and 2023 (2020 championships not contested). The boat's 2019 title helped contribute to Michigan's first Big Ten Championship since 2012, which the team defended in 2021. The team's 2022 win helped preserve the team's championship hopes in a dramatic finish. The boat also qualified for the NCAA Grand Final for four straight years (2017-19, '21).

In recent seasons, the 2V8 boat has a pair of NCAA medals, having won bronze in 2017 and again in 2019. It also placed fourth in the nation in 2018, sixth in 2021, and seventh in 2024. As a program, Michigan has twice been on the NCAA podium during Tuppen's tenure (2017, '19, third place), which marks one of the most decorated eras of Michigan rowing.

At the onset of her tenure with U-M, Tuppen worked with the novice program, coaching them through the 2012-13 season. She led the 1N8 boat to third place and the 2N8 boat to second place at the Big Ten Championships that year and moved on to coaching the fours in 2013-14. At the 2014 conference championship regatta, Tuppen's fours finished fourth (1V4), second (2V4) and third (3V4).

In summer, 2019, she coached South African Wolverines Tayla-May Bentley and Jessica Schoonbee to a silver medal at the World U23 Rowing Championships in the women's pair (2x).

The Buffalo, N.Y., native was an assistant coach with the University of Rhode Island rowing program from August 2009 through August 2012. At URI, Tuppen oversaw all facets of the Rams' novice team and also coached the varsity four boats during the spring season. She assisted the coaching staff with all aspects of recruiting and team travel planning.

Prior to her time at Rhode Island, Tuppen held the title of volunteer coach at Ohio State University from September 2008 to May 2009. She helped guide the Buckeyes to a varsity four boat title at the Big Ten Championships and South Central Regional Championships and a sixth-place finish at NCAAs.

Tuppen competed collegiately for the Buckeyes from 2001 through 2004, rowing primarily in the varsity four boat and novice eight crew. She earned her degree from Ohio State with a bachelor of arts in women's studies. Tuppen currently lives in Ann Arbor with her husband, John, and their three dogs: Olive, Hudson and Demitri.