27 April 2022

Ellen Minzner, USRowing Director of Para High Performance, announced on Tuesday that Derek Hartwick has been named head coach of the PR3 mixed four with coxswain, while Andrea Thies has been named assistant coach.

“I am excited to have Derek and Andrea back in our national team program,” Minzner said in a press release from USRowing. “They both bring a wealth of experience to our program and will be instrumental in developing this year’s crew, as well as the entire talent pool towards 2024.”

Derek Hartwick learned to row in his hometown of St. Catherine’s, Ontario, Canada, and earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education from the University of Western Ontario, where he was a three-sport athlete. Hartwick, who began his coaching career in 1983, has served as the head coach at the United States Merchant Marine Academy since 2004, and under his leadership the academy has taken several titles and championships.

Andrea Thies currently serves as the head coach at Otsego Area Rowing, Inc., an accessible, community-based program that she co-founded in 2009. She also serves as the rowing program director with EDD Adaptive Sports, where she pioneers sport and recreational opportunities for people with disabilities.

As an athlete, Thies made two Olympic teams, serving as an alternate at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona before racing in the quadruple sculls at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. She won a silver medal in the double sculls at the 1995 Pan American Games and raced at four world championships. Thies began her coaching career in 1997 as an assistant coach at Princeton University.

Thies earned her bachelor’s degree in natural resources at Cornell University and her master’s degree in human development and psychology from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She is a member of the Cornell University Athletic Hall of Fame.

Hartwick and Thies will prepare the PR3 mixed four with coxswain for the 2022 World Rowing Championships scheduled for 18-25 September in Racice, Czech Republic. Selection camp is scheduled to run on 10-26 June.

The U.S. PR3 mixed four with coxswain took a silver medal at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, its seventh consecutive silver medal in world championships or Paralympic competition.