E-mail Coach Kennett (tpk2@cornell.edu)
The Robert B. Tallman '41 Men's Lightweight Rowing Head Coach
Todd Kennett, a former three-year letter winner with the Big Red heavyweight crew, was named head coach of lightweight rowing at Cornell in 1998. Under his direction, the Big Red has won two IRA national titles, an Eastern Sprints title and three top-three finishes and has finished as runner-up at the renowned Henley Royal Regatta twice. His varsity eight boat has placed in the top six nationally each of the last six seasons.
Kennett’s varsity eight boat in 2007 won its second-consecutive IRA national title and finished as the runner-up at Henley, reaching the final for the second-straight season in the Temple Challenge Cup. The varsity finished 6-1 overall, while the junior varsity missed winning Eastern Sprints by .1 seconds.
The 2006 varsity eight captured not only the Eastern Sprints title, but also pulled off an upset and claimed the first IRA national title for the Big Red since 1992. And then after earning another trip to Henley, the lightweights had five very successful days of racing to advance to the finals where they managed an exciting second-place finish (the Big Red’s best finish since 1967). The Eastern title was the eighth in the program’s history and the national title was the second. Also enjoying a spectacular season was the junior varsity, who earned a 7-1 record and a first-place finish at the Eastern Sprints, and the lightweight pairs who captured a third-place medal at the IRAs.
Kennett’s boats also had a remarkable season in 2005. Every varsity boat medalled at both the Easterns and at the IRAs, and the third varsity went undefeated and won the Eastern title. The first varsity boat compiled an 8-1 record and a third-place finish at the Easterns, breaking a course record in the process. And, at the IRAs, the varsity eight had an excellent second-place finish, and the Big Red also had a gold medal-winning pair and a bronze medal-winning four.
A native of Middlebury, Conn., Kennett has been a member of the Cornell rowing staff since 1993. He coached the Big Red’s third and fourth varsity eights in 1993-94 and served as the coach of freshman rowing from the fall of 1994 through 1998. Under Kennett, the third varsity eight placed second at the Saturday Night Sprints that year and the four-with-coxswain finished third at the IRA championships. In 1995, he led his first freshman eight to a second-place finish at the Eastern Sprints. The Big Red’s second freshman eight was undefeated during the 1996 and 1997 regular seasons. In 1998, the first freshman eight placed third at the EARC grand finals, while the second freshman boat took second-place honors. He coached the lightweight pair to a gold medal at the 2000 IRAs and in 2001, the pair of Rob Garrison and Jon Zelken claimed a silver medal. Also in 2001, the junior varsity eight took bronze at the Sprints as did the lightweight straight four at the IRAs. In 2002, he led all five of his crews to grand finals races at the Eastern Sprints, including a bronze medal performance by the varsity eight. Several members of his team also enjoyed success at the IRAs, with the varsity eight earning fifth place and the freshman four taking bronze. And, in 2003, a Kennett-coached varsity pair captured a bronze medal at the IRAs.
In 1992-93, Kennett served as coach of the Ithaca College women’s novice program, leading the squad to a 22-2 record, two New York State Small School titles and two Murphy Cups. His Bomber crews also earned silver and bronze medals at the Dad Vail Regatta.
A 1991 graduate of Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Kennett received his bachelor of science degree in animal sciences. As a rower with the heavyweights from 1987-91, he competed in the first freshman eight his first year and went on to row in the varsity eight for three consecutive seasons, including the 1991 campaign in which the varsity finished third at the IRA regatta and competed at the Henley Royal Regatta. He received the Butler Award for outstanding leadership and athletic performance as a senior.
From 1989-91, Kennett rowed in U.S. Rowing Olympic Development and Pre-Elite camps. He also competed in the 1989 and 1990 Olympic Festivals, placing third and first, respectively.
Kennett and his wife, Jessica, reside in Groton with their two daughters, Emma and Sophie.
