July 27, 2005

Vanessa Sheehan

GENEVA, N.Y.—William Smith Head Crew Coach Sandra Chu recently announced the appointment of Vanessa Sheehan to serve as assistant crew coach for the 2005-06 season. A native of Oak Lawn, Ill., she succeeds Katie Gill, who accepted an assistant coaching position at Clemson University in South Carolina.

“I am delighted that Vanessa will be joining our staff,” Chu said. “She comes from the incredibly competitive Big Ten Conference, and has been an integral part of the success Iowa has seen during her quadrennial. Her knowledge and expertise will be a great advantage for the Herons.”

A graduate of the University of Iowa, Sheehan earned bachelor’s degrees in English and journalism and mass communication earlier this year. She also was a four-year member of the Hawkeyes’ rowing team as a coxswain. Sheehan was twice named to the Big Ten All-Academic Team and twice a recipient of the Presidential Athletics Academic Achievement Award.

On the water, Sheehan helped the Hawkeyes to several medal-winning performances during her career, including silver medals at the 2001 Head of the Iowa (novice four) and the 2002 Big Ten Championships (second novice eight). She spent the summer of 2004 as a coxswain for the Georgetown Boat Club, winning the Governor’s Cup at the Baltimore Sprints.

An active member of the Iowa community, Sheehan participated in several public service events, including the Hawkeye Day of Caring during which she provided house and yard work for elderly, disabled, and farmers of the community.

In addition to her responsibilities with the Heron crew program, Sheehan also will serve the Hobart and William Smith community as a residential area coordinator, supervising residential advisors in the Colleges’ dormitories.

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