Ted starts his first season with George Mason University as assistant coach for the women's rowing program, after spending the past two years at Mercyhurst College. After spending two years as a volunteer assistant coach, Ted Nagorsen was named a full-time assistant coach July of 2008, replacing Anne Dinshah. He had served as an admissions counselor at the college for two years before moving into the assistant rowing position.

A 2005 Mercyhurst graduate, Nagorsen was a member of the men's lightweight eight that placed second at both the 2004 and 2005 ECAC National Invitational Regatta. He also was on the varsity heavy eight at the 2005 Dad Vail which won the petite final. Nagorsen began rowing in the fall of 1995 at St. Mary's Preparatory in Orchard Lake, Michigan. He helped his high school rowing program win a national and many state titles. Nagorsen was also a member of the 1998 crew that placed second at the Royal Henley Regatta in England.

Nagorsen began his coaching career at St. Mary's in 1999. He coached the novice program at his high school alma mater, taking them to three state titles and a Midwest championship. While coaching, he continued to train as a competing athlete which helped him develop a better understanding of the sport both as a coach and athlete. Meanwhile, he studied at Oakland University prior to transferring to Mercyhurst in the fall of 2002.

Head Coach, Geoff Dillard is happy to have Ted with the team this season and had the following to say about him. "We are very excited to add someone of Coach Nagorsen's caliber to our program. He is coming off a season where Mercyhurst won a national championship. We are looking forward to him bringing that same excellence to our program."

Laura enters her first year at Mason as the assistant rowing coach and the first year of her college coaching career. Before coming to Mason, Laura was the rowing head coach at McLean High School.

She graduated from Indiana University in 2006 with a major in English and History and minor in Studio Art. She received a full athletic scholarship to the university and was a two-time NCAA All-American (2005 and 2006), and three-time All-Big Ten (2004, 2005 and 2006) in rowing. After graduating from Indiana University Laura went to receive her Masters in Education from the University of Florida and graduated from there in 2008.

Coach Dillard had the following to say about Laura. "Coach Mikels was an excellent student athlete at Indiana University, and will be a great role model for our student athletes. She is very eager to make an impact at Mason, and her enthusiasm will rub off on our student athletes."