University of Massachusets Athletics
UMass Rowing Names Conny Kirsch Assistant Coach
November 07, 2006 | Rowing
Nov. 7, 2006
Amherst, Mass. - UMass head rowing coach Jim Dietz announced the hiring of two new staff members. Conny Kirsch, a former All-American rower at Ohio State, will be a new assistant coach. Heather Putnam, a former UMass rower, returns to her alma mater, to be a graduate assistant coach.
Kirsch rowed for the German National Team from 1995-1998, taking first in the junior world championships in the quad in 1995 and in the double in 1997. She took a second in the quad in 1996. She finished second in the double in the Under-23 Nations Cup in 1998.
Kirsch came to the United States in 1998, when she joined the Ohio State rowing team. She was named First Team All-American and Big Ten Athlete of the Year in 2002. Her Buckeye varsity eight finished fourth that season at the NCAA Championship.
After her rowing career, she coached for the Greater Columbus (Ohio) Rowing Association.
Putnam, a Massachusetts native, began her rowing career as a novice walk-on at UMass and her lightweight eight won the Eastern Sprints in 1996. She graduated with honors from UMass in 1998 with a B.A. in Comparative Literature.
After her rowing career, Putnam interned for the Princeton rowing team from 1999-2001, working with the lightweights. She then was an assistant coach at Navy from 2001-02, where her boats had tremendous success, winning the Navy Day Regatta, the Head of the Schuylkill, and the Princeton Invitational. Prior to coming back to UMass, Putnam spent four years as an assistant at Rutgers. In 2005, he novice eight won the Big East Championship.
