How hard is it to get recruited to a US university based on your sporting accomplishments? To many, the process is nigh-on unnavigable – endless choice, moving goalposts, unchecked expectation and a fundamental lack of knowledge around how to engage with coaches.
It’s clear, though, that securing a slot at one of these ultra-prestigious institutions – where best-in-class athletic prowess meets some of the finest academic rigour in the world – means a considerable amount and justifies significant investment in meeting the criteria required.
That is where Robbie Tenenbaum steps in. A former Ohio State coach and recruiter who also coached the US U19 teams, Robbie has over 30 years of experience in the NCAA arena. He started ‘Robbie Consulting’ last year with one simple aim—to support young people on the road to enlisting at the world’s finest and fastest rowing-friendly universities.
You only need to spend a little time with any of Robbie’s recruits to understand his impact on their journey, even if the path is just unveiling itself. Eli Vessels rows out of Marietta, Ohio, and is just starting to weigh the challenges ahead. “Eli was always a tall boy,” acknowledged Ethan, his father. “He was a very successful wrestler in his freshman year before his friends suggested he take on rowing. His first-ever erg score was a 7:05 as a total novice. He enjoyed it so much that for his 16th birthday, he wanted us to buy him an ergo. As soon as he got it last September, he’d get up every morning at 5 am to row, which was also coincidentally the first time we got hooked up with Robbie. Eli decided he wanted to be a D1 rower at that stage.”
Despite hailing from a small rowing community, Eli’s team made the Scholastic National Rowing Championships in a four whilst their girls’ team won the event in a double. His erg score kept dropping; he had it down to 6:32 in May, 6:28 by July, and his sole focus is now on getting an acceptance as he begins his junior year at high school. Robbie’s role will really start in earnest next year as Eli begins to select schools to pursue, but the coaching, guidance and advice have been invaluable to date as Eli continually reduces his ergo score in preparation for outreach. “Robbie has been very supportive,” said Ethan. “Princeton is Eli’s #1 choice, and his mother was an all-American fencer at that university. He’s got the grades, height, weight and family history, but Robbie is now focused on helping him pull that erg down. Robbie is also helping Eli with the initial email and how to grab the coaches’ attention at programmes where Eli is keen to study.”
For the Vessels family, the hope is that Robbie will guide Eli through the complex process ahead.
Brian and Mara Winke, whose daughter Annika recently accepted a place at the University of Texas, got in touch with Robbie after crossing paths with him in the rowing world throughout their own journey in the sport. “When my daughter started to take rowing more seriously, I did briefly think about getting in touch with Robbie, who had set out his stall by that stage,” said Brian. “At first, I thought I knew enough people in the sport to help Annika. It became apparent quickly, though, that the landscape had changed. Most people I knew had retired, and the NCAA had taken over. My wife and I had the conversation around Robbie, and we just thought ‘let’s do it’.”
At the time, the Winke family had no real comprehension of what Annika could achieve. Robbie helped lay the expectation, indicating that Annika’s academic background, height and build + rowing exploits would make her an attractive proposition for more schools than either Brian or Mara realised: “Alongside us, Robbie got the conversations going with a few top-tier schools. He really changed our mindset as to what coaches are seeking. They’re not just looking for internationally renowned athletes but also for multi-sport, disciplined young people who will work hard and add great attitude to the programme. From that point on, we just followed Robbie’s guidance. He was always available, always encouraging.”
Robbie played the role of mentor and consultant, guiding Annika through the personal and professional obstacles en route to securing offers. He coached her on how to speak to coaches, lower her scores and become a better prospect for scouts, and judge which opportunities were worth pursuing and where the family should spend their time. “He was very definitive and we took his advice 100% of the time,” said Mara. “Robbie was also working behind the scenes continually on behalf of our daughter. He’s omnipresent at all of these regattas and conferences, and the coaches know him incredibly well. We’d speak to these coaches and they’d say ‘oh, please say hi to Robbie for me’.”
Annika had one exchange with a programme where the university seemed disinterested. “The email initially sounded like they didn’t think Annika was fast enough,” said Brian. “We showed it to Robbie, and he said it sounded like an inexperienced recruiter and probably wasn’t meant that way. Within almost hours, we got a corrective email from the school, indicating renewed interest, so clearly Robbie had intervened.”
With Annika now joining the world-renowned Longhorns programme in the fall of 2026, Robbie’s role was instrumental in securing her place. “They called our daughter this summer to invite her to join the programme, which was just incredible,” said Mara. “Dave O’Neill runs probably the best collegiate rowing team in the country, and his recruitment coordinator, Nick Baker, has been fantastic throughout. She has her entire senior year ahead of her and will know where she’s going.”
Robbie’s support did not end at the point of successful recruitment. “We celebrated on a Zoom call with Robbie, but then he said that we were transitioning into a coach to help her get into the best possible shape for starting at Texas next summer,” said Mara. “Robbie’s main point is helping folks without a detailed understanding of the collegiate system. That might seem only relevant for people from overseas, but Robbie’s knowledge and contact base are second to none. He’s helpful for both domestic and overseas families, and would benefit anyone looking to access this world.”
