SPOKANE, Wash. – Gonzaga men's rowing has announced the addition of Kayla Cartelli as an assistant coach for the 2025-26 season. A former Bulldog standout and experienced leader on and off the water, Cartelli returns to GU to support the continued development of the program.
 
"Kayla was integral part of our success when she was coxing here, driving the varsity 8 for three straight WIRA Championships which resulted in the men's team qualifying for the National Championship in those years," head coach Dan Gehn said. "She knows our program and the school well and is passionate about the team and its success.  I am also very excited to have a coach that was a coxswain as she will be working heavily with our coxswain corps!"
 
Cartelli rowed for Gonzaga from 2010 to 2014, playing a key role in one of the most successful stretches in program history. She helped guide the Varsity 8+ to three consecutive WIRA titles and competed in the IRA National Championships in each of her four seasons. Earlier in her rowing career, she trained and competed with the New York Athletic Club's summer team, racing in the U23 Men's 8+ and Men's 4+ at USRowing Nationals and reaching the finals at the Canadian Henley Royal Regatta. Her background also includes time at the South East Juniors Development Camp, where she rowed at USRowing Youth Nationals, and with the Pelham Community Rowing Association, where she earned a silver medal in the women's lightweight eight at the New York State Championships.
 
Following her competitive career, Cartelli contributed to the sport as a volunteer assistant coach with Gonzaga men's rowing from 2015 to 2017. In that role, she worked closely with coxswains to refine technical execution, provided individualized feedback, and developed team-wide programming that emphasized collaboration, leadership, and goal setting.
 
In addition to her rowing background, Cartelli brings extensive leadership and organizational experience. She earned both her bachelor's degree in public relations with a minor in sport management and her master's degree in organizational leadership with a concentration in servant leadership from Gonzaga. She also served as program coordinator for Gonzaga Student Media from 2014 to 2021, mentoring more than 100 student leaders across six publications while managing operations, budgets, and event logistics.