Coach Bancheri is a passionate leader who began his rowing career in 1973 at the Atlantic City High School and Viking Rowing Club. He serves as a mentor for aspiring coaches and in 2002 was selected as the Dad Vail Coach of the Year. Coach Bancheri holds a bachelor’s degree in History and Area Studies from the University of Charleston in 1983 and a Master’s degree in History from Marietta College in 2004. Coach Bancheri has built successful programs at Wichita State, the University of Charleston, and Marietta College. In 2005, Coach Bancheri was invited to be the Senior Heavyweight Men’s Head Coach at the Penn A.C. Rowing Club in Philadelphia. His crews have won five gold medals in the Men’s Frosh 8+, two gold medal in the Men’s JV 8+ and four bronzes in the Men’s Varsity 8+ at the Dad Vail. At the first ACRA National Championship in 2008, he led the men to a bronze medal in the Men’s Varsity 8+ and a gold medal in the Men’s Varsity Lightweight 4+. He led the entire team at Grand Valley to a second place finish at the Dad Vail and the teams point championship at ACRA. In 2009, the Women’s Varsity Eight won the Head of the Charles and the Men’s Varsity Eight placed third. At the 2010 San Diego Crew Classic, the Men’s Varsity Eight were the Cal Cup runners up and the Women’s Varsity Eight made it to the Grand Final of the Jessop-Whittier Cup. This past year, for the fourth season in a row, GVSU won the ACRA Team Points National Championship. Coach Bancheri is US Rowing level III certified and Power Boating certified. Coach Bancheri lives in Allendale and has twin sons, John Patrick and Salvatore Vincenzo.

Lisa Saladino – (3rd year, Rochester ‘07), Varsity Assistant Coach

Lisa graduated from the University of Rochester in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience. Lisa rowed for the University of Rochester for five years and served as Captain for two years. Lisa was also part of University of Rochester’s Club Sports Council as a Representative, Secretary and President between 2003 and 2006. After graduating, Lisa began coaching for Brighton Rowing Club, a local Rochester High School program. In 2009, she coached the Boys Club Novice 8+ to a gold medal at the New York State Championship and coached the Girls Club Novice 8+ to a silver medal in the 2008 New York State Championship. In 2010, the Novice Women were Grand Finalists at the Dad Vail and ACRA National Champions in the novice eight. Last year, at the ACRA Championships, the women’s novice four were grand finalists and the women’s novice eight won gold.  While at Grand Valley, Lisa will be pursuing her Masters of Science in Physician Assistant Studies. Lisa is a Level III coach and CPR and AED certified.

Dennis Kamrad – Coach Emeritus

Coach Kamrad brings more than 40 years of coaching experience and a wealth of knowledge to the Grand Valley coaching staff. In 1972, he began coaching at the University of Central Florida and oversaw the sport during its club years and then during its elevation to varsity status in 1996. Coach Kamrad was UCF’s first and only women’s rowing coach until his retirement in 2003 guiding the program for its first 30 seasons. Under his leadership, UCF crews won 17 Dad Vail titles, and won seven straight State overall point championships. The success of his crews resulted in him being named the 1997 Dad Vail Regatta Coach of the year. Coach Kamrad has served two terms on the US Rowing Board of Directors. He has also served on the boards of the Florida Intercollegiate Rowing Association and the Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association. Before coming to Grand Valley, Coach Kamrad helped start and develop the Edgewater High School, Florida Athletic Club and Orlando Rowing Club rowing programs. He also had the privilege to be a guest volunteer coach at Washington College, FL Institute of Technology and Rollins College. He has also been an active member of the Rotary Club for over 40 years, and helped establish the Orange County East Rotary Metro Club in Winter Park, FL. He graduated from Rollins College as a four year oarsman and with a Masters in Education in Guidance and Counseling along with a Bachelor of Arts in Human Relations. He also holds a Level III coaching certification through US Rowing and works as a mentor coach.

Geoff Sadek – (2nd year, Grand Valley ’09), Assistant Men’s Coach

Geoff Sadek is entering his last semester at Grand Valley, completing an emphasis in Microbiology. He is a Biomedical Sciences major with a minor in French. Geoff began his rowing career during his junior year at Forest Hills Northern High School, and was named captain his senior year. During his tenure at Grand Valley, he has rowed all four years on the varsity team, served as captain for 3 years, as well as one year as trustee. The summer after his sophomore year he rowed for Vesper Boat Club in Philadelphia. The summer after his junior year he travelled with Grand Valley rowing to England for the Henley Royal Regatta where he led the team to an appearance in the quarterfinals of the Temple Challenge Cup. He made the ACRA Great Lakes All-Regional and ACRA All-American First Boats his junior and senior year.

Kelsey graduated from Grand Valley in 2011 with a degree in Communications. During her tenure at Grand Valley, Kelsey led her team as captain for two years and served as Vice President for one year. Kelsey had an undefeated season her novice year. That summer she traveled to Henley-on-Thames England to compete in the Henley Women’s Regatta. When she returned to the states, Kelsey rowed out of Vesper Boat Club in Philadelphia. Sophomore year her boat won the Dad Vail Women’s DI 8+ event for the first time in Grand Valley history. That summer she competed at the Under 23 National Team Selection Camp in Tennessee. As a junior her boat won the Head of the Charles Collegiate 8+. That summer she competed again in Henley to finish second in the champ 8+. Senior year she led her boat to win a bronze at Dad Vail in the Women’s DI 8+. She was on the ACRA All-American First Team for three years. Kelsey teaches Adult Learn-To-Row classes in the summer at the Grand Rapids Rowing Association in Grand Rapids, MI.

Tyler hails from Peachtree City Georgia, where lakes are rare and crew teams are even rarer. He chose Grand Valley after touring 13 schools in different states and having spent all of his summers at his family’s old cottage on the Shores of Torch Lake, MI. Tyler brings a diverse base of logistical and administrative knowledge to GVSU Rowing gained through managing his high school soccer team for 4 years, the basketball team for 3 years and spending 6 years in the Civil Air Patrol, 5 of them as the squadron’s administrative officer. In addition to being US Rowing Level 1 Certified, he spent a portion of the summer doing boatwork at the University of Michigan, and carries powerboat certifications for Florida, Alabama, Michigan and Georgia. He is quoted as describing his job as “Packing Chaos into a Nice Neat Bundle.” After spending two productive years rowing, one in the bow of the novice eight and a second in 3 seat of the JV eight, he will be replacing Kyle Lemoine as the Facilities Coordinator and Boatman for the 11′ – 12′ Campaign.

Christine Scott, P.E.S. – Advisor                                                         

As we approach the beginning of Fall semester and the start of the 2011-2012 rowing season, I’d like to introduce myself. My name is Chris Scott and I will be taking over for Jim Scott as an advisor for GVSU Rowing.

I have worked at GVSU for 35 years, all of them in the Financial Aid Office.I coached Cheerleading for one year and the Dance Team for eight years. While I am pretty familiar with GVSU, I have a lot to learn about rowing. I gained interest in the program back in 2003-2004 when Chad and Brie Jedlic coached the team. In 2004, I participated in a faculty/staff exchange program with GVSU and Kingston University. I was in Kingston at the same time as the GVSU rowers, so I was able to watch our teams row at Henley and other nearby venues.

I have always admired the tenacity and dedication of rowers.  I look forward to meeting you, learning from you, and working with you. I hope my contributions will assist in moving your program forward. Congratulations on your current successes and my best wishes for many more in the future!Go Lakers

Kirsten A. Bartels, PhD – Advisor

Kirsten Allen Bartels is a Visiting Professor in Liberal Studies teaching a variety of courses and enjoying life back in the States after almost 2 years in Wales. She is continuing to earn her PhD in English Literature from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth. Her hobbies include cricket (the sport not the bug), photography and just about anything outside. Kirsten is very excited about being a part of GVSU’s Rowing Team and is looking forward to a fabulous first year!

Mike was a four-year rower at Grand Valley and served as the team president during his junior and senior years as well as the men’s team co-captain his senior year. As a sophomore, Mike won a Dad Vail gold medal in the Men’s Second Varsity 8+ and as a junior, won a bronze medal at the Dad Vail in the same event. During his senior year, the Varsity 8+ took 2nd place at the San Diego Crew Classic and he also rowed in the Temple Challenge Cup at the Henley Royal Regatta.