Brace Names Rowing Coaching Staff
7/14/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Rowing
BUFFALO, NY – Interim head rowing coach Kerri Brace has announced her coaching staff for the upcoming 2016-17 season. Former CAA Champion with the Bulls Sasha Bailey will join the staff as Novice Assistant Coach, while Serra Sevenler will join UB as a Graduate Assistant.
"I am extremely excited to welcome Sasha and Serra to the UB Athletics family," said Brace. "Serra is so passionate about the sport of rowing, and has such a desire to learn. I am excited to work with her as a coach and learn from her international experiences. I am thrilled to have Sasha return to the program that she gave so much to in her collegiate years. She truly knows what it takes to win, on and off the water, and I couldn't think of a better person to lead our novice women. I look forward to collaborating with Sasha and Serra to provide our student-athletes the mental and physical fundamentals necessary to perform at the highest levels."
Bailey rowed for the Bulls from 2007-11 where she was a scholar-athlete and varsity captain. Bailey was a part of the 2010 CAA Conference Championship team and was a member of three Dad Vail Regatta Championship seasons from 2008-10. Since her graduation from UB she has served as the varsity assistant coach for the West Side Rowing Club before she began working with Row New York, where she most recently served as Varsity Program Manager.
"I am very excited to join the athletic community at Buffalo, and work alongside Kerri Brace for the 2016-17 school year," said Bailey. "As an alumnus, it has been a goal of mine to return to this program and help to grow the community and tradition within the rowing team. My experience as a student-athlete at Buffalo helped to shape the person I am today and I look forward to instilling those same values in the student-athletes I will work with."
Sevenler brings an international experience to the UB coaching staff as she spent time rowing in the Turkish Junior Rowing Championship and was a member of the USA National Team at the World University Rowing Championships in Kazan, Russia in 2012. She rowed collegiately at the University of Rochester where she was a varsity captain, leading her collegiate eight shell to a first place finish at the Dad Vail Regatta in 2013. She has spent time as the varsity coach at Brighton High School in Rochester before moving across the globe to serve as volunteer coach for the Hong Kong High Performance National Team and the lead junior rowing coach for the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club.
"I'm looking forward to introducing a group of athletes to a brand new sport and guiding them through successful seasons," said Sevenler. "I'm also excited to push and motivate the varsity women to reach their full potential. I feel lucky to be given the opportunity to learn from such an experienced coaching staff over the upcoming year."
Brace was elevated to Interim Head Coach on June 24.
