Katie Thurstin

In 2025, Thurstin helped Iowa’s Varsity Eight to its Big Ten Boat of the Week award, for the fourth straight year. The Hawkeyes showcased their strongest outing of the season on the second day of the Kansas Double Duel, capturing victories in six of seven races.

The 2024 season saw Iowa earn national poll votes for nine consecutive weeks. That year, the team made an appearance at the renowned Henley Royal Regatta, where the Varsity Eight competed for the Island Challenge Cup and the Varsity Four raced for the Princess Grace Challenge Cup. A standout moment came when alumna Eve Stewart (Class of 2020) qualified for the Great Britain Rowing Team and went on to win a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics - becoming the first Hawkeye rower to reach the Olympic podium.

In 2023, Iowa spent 10 consecutive weeks on the CRCA Pocock Poll. Thurstin contributed to the team’s fifth-place finish at the Big Ten Championship, where the Hawkeyes earned 90 points—ranking as the fifth-highest total in program history.

During her first season with the program, Thurstin helped guide the team to eight straight weeks of national poll recognition. That year, Iowa secured four Big Ten Boat of the Week honors, with awards going to the Varsity Eight, III Varsity Four, and twice to the Varsity Four. The team’s fifth-place finish at the Big Ten Championship marked its best result since 2018.

Katie Thurstin joined the Iowa Rowing coaching staff in September 2021.

Thurstin came to Iowa after serving as head coach for the men’s and women’s rowing team at Stetson University from 2017-21. During her tenure at Stetson, both programs saw unprecedented success. The Women’s program earned their best conference finish of 3rd place in 2021. The position was secured by all three boats moving to the Grand Finals with the Second Varsity 8+ placing 3rd and the First Varsity 8+ missing first by 16 thousandths of a second. The Men’s program also had historic results. In 2018, the First Varsity 4+ placed 2nd at the prestigious Dad Vail regatta. In 2019, the First Varsity 4+ placed 5th during their first appearance at the IRA National Championship, securing a spot in the semi-finals after winning their heat.

Prior to Stetson, she was the first assistant/novice coach at Drake University for four years and volunteered on Drake’s Leadership and Education Committee (LEAD). She also served as the head coach of the Des Moines Rowing Club during her time in Iowa.

Katie began her coaching career at the Rocky Mountain Rowing Club in Denver. Her collegiate coach career began when she helped found the University of Denver’s club program.

A 2003 graduate of the University of Minnesota with a degree in Global Studies, Thurstin began rowing competitively during her junior year. Upon graduation, Thurstin spent four years as a Policy Associate with the National Conference of State Legislatures in Denver before eventually returning to her rowing roots.