USRowing Partners with the Women’s Health, Sports & Performance Institute

USRowing today announced a partnership with the Women’s Health, Sports & Performance Institute (WHSP) to provide centralized training, testing, and training facilities for the USTC-Boston, marking a strong step forward in high-performance preparation grounded in athlete health, research, and innovation.

The WHSP Institute is the first organization of its kind to unite leading-edge research, practical education and world-class medical care under one roof to address the unique health needs of female athletes across all ages, sports and abilities. By integrating discovery, education, and clinical application into one coordinated engine, WHSP is shaping the future of athlete health and performance, ensuring breakthroughs move from lab to athlete faster than ever before.

Ellen Minzner, Head Coach of the Boston Training Center, emphasized the importance of the partnership. “Providing our Olympic and Paralympic athletes with a centralized training space and access to state-of-the-art equipment and technology is a top priority,” Minzner said. “With coaches and practitioners working side by side, we’re able to communicate and collaborate across disciplines to optimize athlete performance.”

Research at WHSP is led by Dr. Trent Stellingwerff, a globally respected leader in sport science and high-performance research, with particular expertise in exercise physiology and sports nutrition. His leadership further strengthens the Institute’s ability to translate evidence-based insights into competitive advantage.

The WHSP Institute houses a comprehensive range of on-site research capabilities and equipment to directly support elite athletes, including:

• Physiology laboratory
• Metabolic testing
• Research-grade kitchen
• Strength and conditioning facilities
• Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scanner
• Blood biomarker assessments
• 3D motion capture system
• X-ray and ultrasound imaging
• Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (EPAT)

Dr. Ackerman, a former U.S. National Team rower and Olympic Team Physician who co-founded WHSP with David and Jane Ott, currently serves as Chair of the USRowing Medical and Sports Science Committee and as a member of the World Rowing Medical Commission. She expressed her excitement about deepening the connection between rowing, medicine and research in Boston.

“When I first moved to Boston in the mid-1990s and was aspiring to both row and practice medicine at the highest level, I had yet to learn of the gaps in access, resources, education and communication within the sports and medical ecosystems,” said Dr. Ackerman. “I soon saw these first-hand, and am thrilled to now be part of a team working at a medical facility, research institute and training center all under one roof. It’s a dream come true to provide an optimized space for female athletes, while also offering clinical care and performance opportunities for women and men of our USRowing community.”

Through this partnership, the USRowing National Team will train in an environment that integrates high-performance sport, advanced research and comprehensive clinical care, reinforcing a shared vision to elevate athlete health, performance and longevity at every level of competition.

About USRowing
USRowing is the national governing body for rowing in the United States, dedicated to promoting and developing rowing at all levels, from juniors to elite competition. With a membership base of 1,400 member organizations and 77,000+ individuals, USRowing provides theoretical and practical education programs that strengthen and grow rowing while helping members achieve their goals. The national governing body works closely with international rowing bodies to represent the United States at the highest levels of competition, including the World Rowing Championships and the Olympic and Paralympic Games. 

About WHSP Institute
The WHSP Institute is the first organization to unite leading-edge research, practical education and world-class medical care under one roof to address the unique health needs of female athletes across all ages, sports and abilities. Built on decades of leadership in elite sport and medicine, WHSP accelerates innovation by closing the gaps between discovery, education and application — creating real-world impact for athletes everywhere.