Ed Oxlade - Associate Head Coach - Staff Directory - University of Louisville Athletic

Staff Directory

Ed Oxlade

Title:
Associate Head Coach
Email:
Phone:
852-8121

University of Louisville head rowing coach Derek Copeland announced that Ed Oxlade has been elevated to associate head coach.

Prior to being named Louisville’s associate head coach in July 2024, Oxlade served as the Cardinals’ assistant coach and rigger/boathouse manager since July 2013. The native of the United Kingdom, is entering his 29^th season as a coach and has built an impressive resume which spans three countries in junior and collegiate rowing.

During his time at Louisville, Oxlade has predominantly worked with the varsity fours. His role as a developmental coach has been important in progressing student athletes through the system as they gain experience and expertise in collegiate rowing over their careers.

Most recently the Cardinals posted a 10th place finish at the 2025 Atlantic Coast Conference Championship. The highly-competitive ACC field featured eventual national champion Stanford along with Cal, Virginia and Syracuse who finished the season ninth, 10th and 12th respectively at the NCAA Championships. Kaylie Leonard was named to the All-ACC third team. The 2025 campaign was also highlighted by the Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association (SIRA) Championship Regatta which saw the Cardinals' Varsity 8, Second Varsity 8 and Novice 4 boats collect gold medals with the Varsity 4A earning the silver in the 'A' final.

In 2024, Oxlade coached the second varsity 8 boat to a sixth-place finish in the 2024 ACC Championship with Claire Carver-Ritter earning All-ACC recognition. His most notable successes came in 2018, when the varsity 4 boat earned silver and second varsity 4 took home the bronze medal at the ACC Championship.

Before arriving in Louisville, Oxlade coached the Jacksonville University Dolphins from 2007-11 following his emigration to the United States from the United Kingdom.

In his first season stateside at Jacksonville, Oxlade's freshmen/novice crews became state champions in men's and women's eights at the FIRA state championships. He also worked with the women’s varsity team as assistant coach, which culminated in the varsity four winning the Margaret McNiff trophy on the Schuylkill at the Dad Vail Regatta.

In 2009, he coached the men's novice eight to a repeat win at the FIRA state championship and a semi-final appearance at SIRA. He served as assistant coach to the JU varsity men's team, which repeated as FIRA state champions and won silver medals at both SIRA and Dad Vail in the Junior Varsity eight.

Oxlade played an integral role in the historic run of the men's varsity eight to the 2010 IRA Championships for the first time in the program's 54-year history. He assisted in the coaching of the varsity crews to repeat wins at the Murphy Cup (V8) and the FIRA state championships.

His coaching career started at Geelong Grammar School, in Victoria, Australia, where he was responsible for coaching the girls’ second varsity 4. The crew had a stellar year, winning at Australian Henley, finishing second at the Head of the River and the Head of the Schoolgirls’. The crew combined with the girls’ first varsity 4 to create a girls’ first 8, winning the Head of the Schoolgirls’ regatta.

While pursuing his master’s degree, he led the rowing program at Claires Court School, helping develop the club to a solid foundation before moving to Oundle School, where he served as director of rowing for five years. While there, Oxlade oversaw Henley Women’s Regatta finalists, Henley Royal Regatta appearances, three national championship medals, the 2005 national title along with two athletes selected to represent GB and England internationally.

He enjoyed success while coaching England’s Junior Men’s eight, guiding them to a gold medal each year from 2005-07.

As an athlete, Oxlade won multiple national championships medals, including gold in 1993. While studying for his bachelor’s degree, he became Northern Universities Champion in the single scull, and was a trialist for the GB national team. He competed at Henley Royal Regatta multiple times, closing his competitive career at Maidenhead Rowing Club. He also served as president of the Northumbria University Boat Club from 1996-99 and coached the women’s team at Newcastle University.

He earned his bachelor's degree in sport and exercise science from the University of Northumbria in 1999 and went on to complete his master's degree in physical education from the University of Surrey, Roehampton in 2002. In 2022, he earned a master’s degree in sport administration for the University of Louisville.

Oxlade resides in south Louisville with his wife, Nicole, children Mason, Sterling and Lara along with Arlo (a black labradoodle)Piper and Indy (grey tabby and black cats).