Lehigh University Athletics
Meltzer steps down as head rowing coach
6/7/2010 7:30:00 PM | Men's Rowing, Women's Rowing
 |
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Liz Meltzer has decided to step down from her position as Steven J. and Karen A. Lee Head Rowing Coach at Lehigh University. Meltzer has been at Lehigh since 2005, first serving as a part-time assistant coach for the Mountain Hawks rowing program before becoming the first-ever full time assistant coach in 2006 and eventually the head coach in 2007 following the departure of Paul Savell. “It has been an honor and privilege to serve as the head rowing coach at Lehigh University,” Meltzer said. “I have enjoyed my time with the Lehigh crew a great deal and am grateful for the opportunity that was presented to me. I will never forget the friendships and relationships I forged while at Lehigh and leave with nothing but positive memories of my time here.”
Meltzer will be headed to the Washington, D.C. area where she is originally from, and will be joined by her fiancé’, Lehigh’s Sports Media Relations Director Mike Stagnitta, who recently accepted a position within the Athletics Department at Catholic University, which is located in the nation’s capital.
Stagnitta spent the previous seven years at Lehigh, beginning as an intern in the Sports Media Relations department before moving up to Assistant Director and eventually Media Relations Director in 2007. He oversaw media relations efforts for all of Lehigh’s 25 varsity sports and most recently served as the primary contact for Lehigh’s football team, its Patriot League Champion men’s basketball team plus men’s and women’s lacrosse, golf and rowing.
During her time at Lehigh Meltzer was responsible for the planning, organization and oversight of the rowing program’s recruitment efforts as she secured commitments from 28 student-athletes in June of 2007, making up the first-ever Lehigh rowing recruiting class.
Among her on-water accomplishments, Meltzer led the freshmen women’s crew to a first place finish at the 2006 Frostbite Regatta and a top-ten finish at the 2007 Dad Vail Regatta. During the 2008 spring season Meltzer led the Mountain Hawk women’s lightweight eight crew to a spot in the Grand Finals at the Dad Vail Regatta and the varsity eight crew to the petite finals at the San Diego Crew Classic. In addition Meltzer mentored current Lehigh rower Jen Lance ’11, who became just the fourth freshman in Patriot League history to earn All-League honors.
During the fall of 2008 Meltzer led the women’s varsity eight crew to a ninth place showing out of 45 entries at the prestigious Head of the Charles regatta and she capped off that fall season with a pair of first place finishes at the Frostbite Regatta in the women’s varsity eight and freshmen eight races. In 2009 Meltzer guided the Brown and White to a spot in the semifinals at the Dad Vail Regatta in the spring, and she led the Mountain Hawks to a first place finish at the Head of the Potomac. During the 2010 spring season Meltzer and Lehigh once again defeated archrival Lafayette in the annual River Cup.
