Sam Clifford

Biography

Former IU rower Sam Clifford begins her third season back in Bloomington as an assistant coach in 2025. Clifford has led the Varsity Four crews through her first two seasons coaching at IU. In 2024, Clifford guided the Varsity Four to a 17-6 record as the Hoosiers returned to the NCAA Championships for the second consecutive season. There, the V4 finished 17th nationally to help Indiana earn a 15th place team finish. At the 2024 Big Ten Championships, Clifford’s Second Varsity Four crew was one of four Hoosier boats to medal, taking bronze, while the V4 placed fourth out of eight boats. As a team, IU earned a program record second place conference finish. In her first season coaching for IU, Clifford led the first, second, and third varsity fours to top five finishes at the Big Ten Championships with a bronze medal finish in the second varsity four. At the NCAA Championships, Clifford coached the Varsity Four to a 17th place finish nationally. Clifford rowed at IU for two seasons from 2014-2016, helping the Hoosiers reach the NCAA Championships in both seasons. She then served as a student assistant coach for IU during the 2016-17 season, working with the novice and third varsity four while finishing her degree in United States history with a minor in psychology. Clifford has six total years of NCAA Division I coaching experience. Previously, Clifford served as an assistant coach at Washington State from 2019-2022. Her responsibilities included training the Varsity Fours, ass