BOSTON – Northeastern Director of Athletics and Recreation Jim Madigan announced the hiring of Justin Jones as the new men's rowing head coach on Friday. Jones was promoted to interim head coach this season and led the Huskies to a fourth-place finish at the IRA Championships.
 
"I am pleased that Justin will lead our nationally ranked men's rowing program," said Madigan. "As a standout student-athlete at Northeastern, Justin understands the importance of experiential learning and the culture that is needed to be highly successful. He is one of the most accomplished rowers in Northeastern history and I have total confidence in his ability to continue to build this program and compete for national championships." 
 
Jones served as an assistant coach and associate head coach for the last six seasons as Northeastern's first varsity eight boat earned top-seven finishes at the IRA Championships in all six years. The Huskies tallied a fifth-place finish in the varsity eight in 2019 and earned the Howlin' Huskies Awards Male Team of the Year. Jones was selected as one of three coaches for the 2021 United States Under-23 Men's National Team that will begin competition on Wednesday, July 7 in the Czech Republic on the same racecourse where he won the Under-19 World Championship in 2010.

"I would like to thank President Aoun, Chancellor Henderson, Senior Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Madeleine Estabrook, Athletics Director Jim Madigan, and the Senior Leadership Team for this opportunity," said Jones. "I am excited to lead the program into the future and to build off the program's success over the last decade."

A four-year letterwinner at Northeastern from 2011-14, Jones captained the Huskies for two seasons before joining the coaching ranks at his alma mater. He led the Huskies to a fourth-place finish in the varsity eight at the 2014 IRA Championships, the highest finish since ending the Grand Final in third place in 1993. In 2013 at the Henleys, the Huskies made it to the final of the Ladies' Plate and lost to the British National Team by inches in the final strokes of the race, which was the talk of the regatta.
  
A native of Bellmawr, N.J., Jones was voted as the USRowing/row2k Fans Choice Collegiate Athlete of the Year in 2013 (story here). During his time at Henderson Boathouse, Jones medaled twice at the Eastern Sprints. He pursued the U.S. National Team for a year after graduation from Northeastern.
 
Jones also brings international experience to his new post at Northeastern. He was a two-time U.S. Rowing Under-23 National Team member, helping the Americans earn a bronze medal in the 8+ in 2014, topping a fourth-place performance with the crew in 2012. Jones was also a Junior National Team Member and a Junior World Champion in the 8+ in 2010.
 
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