WILLIAMSTOWN, MASS -- Williams College Athletic Director
Lisa Melendy announced today that Paula Thoms has been named the head coach of Williams Women's Crew. Melendy noted, "I am thrilled to announce that Paula Thoms has accepted the offer to become the next Head Coach of Williams Women's Crew. The search committee was impressed with her deep experience in coaching rowing, her knowledge of training, her holistic approach, and her deep commitment to building inclusivity in every setting of which she is a part. I want to thank the search committee:
Bill Barrale,
Steve Kuster,
Marc Mandel,
Carolyn Miles, and
Sarah Raymond for their time and assistance in this process. Paula will officially assume her duties as head coach on August 1st. I am enthusiastic about the next chapter in Williams Women's Crew."
"Thank you to Athletic Director,
Lisa Melendy, the search committee, and the student-athletes for choosing me to be the next leader of this incredible team," Thoms said. "From the beginning, it was clear to me that the vision and mission of William's College aligned with what I stand for as a teacher and coach. I am so excited to be a part of this community that above all else prioritizes the growth and development of the whole person. Williams Women's Crew has a storied history of excellence both academically and athletically, and I look forward to the opportunity to continue moving the program forward."
Thoms comes to Williams from Cornell University where she has served as the Associate Head Coach of Women's Rowing the past three years. Prior to becoming the Big Red's Associate Head Coach, Thoms was an assistant coach from 2014 -2019 at Cornell, an Assistant Coach at Boston University (2008-14), an Assistant Coach at Brock University in St. Catherines in Ontario, Canada. Her first collegiate coaching experience came as a volunteer assistant coach at her alma mater Michigan State University in 2007, where she earned a B.A. in Marketing.
At Cornell Thoms helped the varsity four C win the bronze medal at the 2016 Ivy League Women's Rowing Championship, while the third varsity eight finished just outside of the medals at the 2017 event.
Four of Thoms' Big Red rowers earned All-Ivy honors, one was named a CRCA All-American, three were CRCA Region 1 selections, and 16 were named CRCA Scholar Athletes, and two were named Academic All-Ivy selections.
Since August of 2020, Thoms has served as a co-chair of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee for the Collegiate Coaches Rowing Association. The committee works to create a community of rowing professionals to foster education and mutual support; advocate for progressive change within the CRCA; and build coalitions with other organizations to advocate for policy change. Additionally, Thoms co-founded and helped lead the Cornell Athletics DEI Committee that was formed July 2021.
At Michigan State Thoms was a four-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree, a member of the crew that won the 2005 Big Ten championship, and attained a team-record sixth-place finish at the 2006 NCAA Championship. She earned second-team All-Big Ten recognition her senior season and won the team's Spirit Award for best exemplifying the passion and integrity of the team.
Thoms also rowed and coached at the St. Catharines Rowing Club where she was a three-time champion at the Royal Henley Regatta in 2000, 2002, and 2006. In 2004 she was a Head of the Charles Regatta champion. In 2002, the club recognized Thoms as its Female Oarswoman of the Year.
A native of St. Catharines, Ont., Thoms is married to Vic Brown, the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at Ithaca College, and they have two children, Dylan and Tyler.
