Lansing Sun

MSU Rowing Head Coach Stacey Rippetoe has appointed Annie Cantu to her staff as an assistant coach, marking Cantu's return to her alma mater.

"I am beyond excited to start working with Michigan State University's Women's Rowing Team," Cantu said. "When I graduated from MSU in 2020 and started my coaching career, my dream and goal was to come back to Michigan State to help build the team back to the champions they can be. Thank you to the staff for this incredible opportunity and for already making me feel like I'm back home. Go Green!"

Cantu joins the staff at Michigan State after a three-year tenure as an assistant coach at Eastern Michigan. She worked primarily with the novices at EMU, while also deeply involved with talent transfer recruiting and alumni and parent outreach.

She is one of three MSU Rowing alum on the team's coaching staff, joining Rippetoe and former teammate Nicole Marek.

Cantu was a four-year letter-winner and three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection at Michigan State, where she was a fixture in the varsity eight her final three seasons after splitting time in the novice boat and second eight in her freshman campaign. Cantu rowed in the 2017 Head of the Charles with the Spartans, finishing 25th in the Championship eights.

She graduated from MSU in the spring of 2020 with a bachelor's degree in psychology with minors in human behavior and social sciences, with her senior season unfortunately canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Post-graduation, Cantu returned home to her native Texas and served as a coach with the Dallas Rowing Club, where she had rowed as part of the juniors program throughout high school – beginning her scholastic rowing career in eighth grade at DRC.