Few Columbia rowing athletes have accomplished what Libby Peters has in her career. A four-year rower from 2002-06 and co-captain, Peters earned a bachelor’s degree in United States 20th Century History, minoring in Middle Eastern Studies. She was an Academic All-Ivy selection during her career with the Lions and was named the most valuable member of the varsity crew her senior year. Peters was also a Pocock All-American her senior year and a Mid-Atlantic First Team selection as a junior and senior. In addition, Peters was a two-time CRASH-B College Lightweight champion.
As a member of the U.S. National Team, Peters was the stroke of the lightweight quad, which won a bronze medal at the 2008 World Championships. Peters helped her boat place second at the Olympic Trials that same year.
In 2009, Peters was among 25 alumnae selected to the Columbia Women’s Athletics Silver Anniversary Honor Roll. Also that year, Peters founded and was the executive director of Philadelphia City Rowing, the first free competitive rowing program open to any public school student in Philadelphia. PCR programs are offered free of charge to district students in grades 7-12. Their multifaceted programming leverages staff, volunteers, and community partners to provide all PCR students with various services and opportunities for growth and development.
Peters returned to Morningside Heights in August 2011 as assistant coach for the women’s rowing team. She was named CRCA Mid-Atlantic Region Assistant Coach of the Year in 2013 after helping the Lions’ varsity eight earn an EAWRC Sprints Championship and picking up varsity eight victories at the Dunn Bowl and Connell Cup.
Following her tenure as a coach at Columbia, Peters spent 2014-15 as the Director of Rowing at Germantown Academy as well as an assistant coach with the Vesper Boat Club on Boathouse Row. Peters helped guide the United States to silver medals in three events at the 2015 Pan-American Games. In 2015, Peters coached the United States Lightweight Men’s Quad at the World Championships in France and in 2014, she coached the Senior Women’s Single and Champ Women’s Single to gold medals at Canadian Henley.
Peters then served as Associate Head Coach for Penn Rowing from 2015-17. While with the Quakers, Penn claimed the Orange Challenge Cup for the third time since 1995 with wins over Syracuse and Northeastern at the Doc Hosea Challenge. Penn also won the Class of ‘89 Plaque from Cornell each year for the third time since 1994. Penn’s NCAA boats all finished fourth at the 2017 Ivy League Championships, matching or bettering their previous best finishes at the event.
Peters is currently an Associate Director for Guidehouse, a global provider of consulting services to the public sector and commercial markets.
