UB Rowing Makes Changes To Coaching Staff

Aileen McNamara joins the staff

Aileen McNamara

BUFFALO, NY – Head rowing coach Rudy Wieler announced the addition of Aileen McNamara as assistant coach. McNamara brings over 30 years of rowing experience to the Bulls. She replaces Andrew Wieler, who was named assistant men’s rowing coach at his alma mater, Northeastern.

McNamara has been involved in the sport of rowing since 1979, first as a rower, then as a coach, and also as member of the West Side Rowing Club. She was a member of the first West Side Rowing Club Women’s 8 to win gold at the Royal Canadian Henley in 1983. Aileen earned her undergraduate degree at the University of Pennsylvania, where as a walk on, she earned two varsity letters as a member of their women’s rowing team.

A graduate of the Buffalo School of Law, McNamara was the first woman elected President of the West Side Rowing Club, and served in that capacity from 2004-2005. She continued in the management of the West Side Rowing Club as Vice President of Rowing from 2005-2006. She was made a trustee of the Rowing club in 2008. In 2008, She was designated as the first women’s head coach at the West Side Rowing Club in its history.

During her tenure on the executive board of the WSRC, McNamara focused her attention on the rowing programs at the WSRC. She, herself, coached the Junior Women year round . During her time as the Junior Women’s coach, she and her coaches led the women’s program to top ten finishes at the Head of the Charles in the Junior 8 four of the past five years, and were New York State Champions from 2005-2009.

In 2006, 2008, and 2009, West Side’s Women’s program was the overall club points winner at the New York State championships. This program also qualified five years in a row to race at the US Rowing Youth Invitational, the premiere junior rowing event in the country, medaling in that same event in the women’s lightweight 8 in 2008.

McNamara further targeted the winter training programs at the WSRC. As a result, large contingents of Buffalo’s junior rowers attended the largest indoor Rowing competition in the country in Boston, Massachusetts (Crash-Bs). Over the past five years, Buffalo has had three medalists, 8 top ten finishes, and a top 25% finish for the majority of its rowers at this event.

McNamara and her coaching staff have had great success at the US Club Nationals ( 2007 - Bronze in the Junior 8 and Junior 4), and at the Canadian Henley Gold medals - Junior women’s single - 2005, Junior B 4 - 2006, Junior B 8 - 2007-2008, light weight women’s 8 Dash, 2008), and finalists in the Junior Women’s 8 since 2003.

McNamara also worked to develop the Senior programs at WSRC, both men’s and women’s. The West Side Rowing Club was designated as a US Senior Development Camp in 2008 and 2009. In 2008, the women won the Senior 8 at US Club Nationals, as coached by Andrew Wieler. Five of the athletes in this boat were returning members of the West Side Junior Crews.

“Aileen is a highly respected and successful coach with the Buffalo West Side Junior program,” said Wieler. “She brings a wealth of experience in coaching young women to a high level. I am personally excited about having Aileen work with me directly in developing our varsity program.”

Keri Ann Kanaley

The Bulls have also added Kerri Ann Kanaley to the staff as she takes over as lightweight coach. Kanaley has been the head coach at Nardin for the last two seasons, leading her Lightweight Eight boat to the State Championship both years. While in Buffalo she has also coached the West Side Rowing Club for the last two years.

Kanaley was a four-year standout on the Varsity Eight boat for the Lakers. While at Mercyhurst, Kanaley went to three National Championships, winning in 2004 and finishing second in 2005.

The Bulls begin the 2009-10 campaign on Sep. 26 at the Head of the Welland in Welland, Ontario.