The longest tenured rowing coach in school history, Mike Connors completed his 23rd season at the helm of Sacramento State’s women’s rowing program during the 2025 season.
Connors, who is the fourth women’s rowing coach in the program’s 31-year intercollegiate history, has a total of 36 years of head coaching experience. In addition, Connors is currently the second longest tenured head coach for any intercollegiate sport on the Sacramento State campus.
This past season (2025) - the program’s first year in the West Coast Conference - he coached the team to a fourth place finish (out of nine schools) at the conference championship. In addition, the team won gold in the varsity eight, second varsity eight and varsity four grand finals at the same WIRA Championship for the first time in program history (1995-pres.). All but two members of the varsity eight will return in 2026.
In 2024, the Hornets placed third at the American Athletic Conference Championship - tied for the highest finish since joining the league in 2015. The Hornets also placed third in 2021, 2017 and 2015. In addition, the Hornets medaled in three events at the event, the program’s most medals in the four racing categories since 2015. That included a silver medal in the varsity four, and bronze medals in both the varsity eight and second varsity eight. Also, the team medaled in the varsity eight, second varsity and varsity four at the WIRA Championship - third straight season of taking home three medals at WIRAs.
Some of Connors’ finest work may have come during the shortened 2021 season. Despite limited water time because of the pandemic, the Hornets managed to piece together one of the fastest squads in program history. In fact, the team was not able to train on the water until the middle of February (much later than most crews across the country) and raced just four times.
Still, the Hornets placed third at the American Athletic Conference Championship, which included medals from both the second varsity eight and varsity four entries. In addition, the Hornets’ second varsity eight picked up a win over 20th-ranked USC (the boat’s first victory over a ranked opponent in school history). The team’s varsity eight, which raced to sub 6:47 times in every race, beat Gonzaga for the first time since 2010.
The 2025 season was the program’s first in the WCC, after spending nine years in the American Athletic Conference (2015-24), and one in Conference USA (2014). Connors was instrumental in getting the program into each of the three as Sacramento State had not competed in an NCAA-recognized conference from its first year of intercollegiate status (1995) until making the jump to Conference USA. Prior to the 2014, Sacramento State had never been eligible to earn an automatic qualifier into the NCAA Championship.
Of the Hornets’ eight appearances at the American Championship (they did not compete in 2019 or 2020), the program posted top three finishes on four of those occasions.
Connors has led the Hornets to five Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association (WIRA) team titles. In addition, the team’s varsity eight, second varsity eight, novice eight and varsity four each medaled at the WIRA Championships in 2011 for the first time in school history, and then accomplished the feat again in 2012.
During Connors’ tenure, the varsity eight has posted a dual-meet record of 159-92, and the second varsity eight is 120-86 over that same time frame. Sacramento State rowers have combined for 59 all-conference selections under Connors, including 33 that received first team accolades. In addition, five Hornets have been named to the all-West Region team.
Also during his tenure, the second varsity eight has medaled at the WIRA Championships 16 times, and the varsity eight on 13 occasions, and the novice eight on nine occasions. The Hornets’ top three boats have combined for 12 gold medals, 14 silvers, and 12 bronze medals over that span.
Academically, over the last 12 years, the Hornets have seen a combined 67 student-athletes receive the National Scholar-Athlete Award, an honor handed out by the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association for academic excellence. That includes a school-record 10 Hornet rowers receiving the honor in 2020, followed by nine more in 2021.
Other highlights from Connors’ career at Sacramento State include the varsity eight winning the 2010 and 2004 Dad Vail Regattas, the second varsity eight posting its highest finish (2nd) at the 2010 Dad Vail, a varsity eight victory over Texas in 2009, a 2006 WIRA Coach of the Year award, and a 30-consecutive dual meet winning streak for the varsity eight stretching from 2003 until 2007.
In 2005, he oversaw a program that had its varsity eight, second varsity eight and novice eight boats each post undefeated dual-meet records (a 24-0 combined record) for the first time in school history. In 2004, just one season removed from taking over a program that had lost 13 letterwinners from the year before, he coached the varsity eight to the program’s first-ever gold medal at Dad Vail.
Prior to his arrival at Sacramento State, the Spokane, Wash., native spent four years (1998-02) as the head men’s rowing coach at UC Davis. During that time, Connors guided the Aggies’ varsity eight to a WIRA title in 2001 and a second-place finish at the same event in 2002. In addition, the Aggies’ top boat became the first UCD varsity eight crew to compete at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association National Championships in 2001.
He also guided UC Davis’ second varsity eight to a WIRA championship in 2001 and a silver medal at the WIRAs in 2002. During his tenure with the Aggies, a total of 11 student-athletes received all-WIRA honors. Connors coached the UCD men’s novice crew for two years (1996-98) and led the novice eight to a silver medal at both the 1997 and 1998 WIRA Championships before being promoted to head coach.
Prior to his time with UC Davis, Connors served as head coach of the Oakland Strokes Rowing Club (1994-95). The club has well over 100 members dedicated to junior/high school rowing, and is one of the biggest clubs in the United States.
The 39-year coaching veteran spent seven years as the head coach of the Santa Clara women’s rowing team (1986-92). Under his tutelage, the Broncos won the gold medal in the novice four at the 1987 national championships, becoming the first and only national championship boat for the Santa Clara women’s rowing program. He also coached the varsity four to a WIRA Championship in 1991.
Connors earned a bachelor of science degree in management from Santa Clara in 1983 and a master’s degree from his alma mater in finance in 1988. He spent four years rowing for Santa Clara (1979-83) and was elected to the school’s Hall of Fame as a member of the 1982 lightweight eight. That boat won the Western Sprints (now the Pacific Coast Rowing Championship) in 1981 and 1982, and is the last Santa Clara crew to compete at the Henley Royal Regatta in England. He was also a member of the varsity eight squad which won a bronze at the Western Sprints in 1981 and 1982.
Connors was named Most Valuable Oarsman during his junior and senior years and was named team co-captain in 1983.
Connors and his family reside in Fair Oaks, Calif.
