COACHES
Coach Andrei
Born in the Republic of Moldova, Andrei moved to the United States in 2010, and discovered rowing at Orange Coast College a few years later. He rowed competitively there for two years before stepping into a coaching role as an assistant in his third year. That experience gave him valuable insight into athlete development, teamwork, and the technical aspects of the sport.
Andrei went on to earn his bachelor’s degree in Business Operations and Supply Chain Management from California State, Fullerton. He recently relocated to Arizona where he works as a superintendent at a biotech company, overseeing operations and team leadership.
While his professional career has centered on operations and leadership, Andrei’s passion for rowing has remained constant. Joining ASU Rowing allows him to bring his experience back to the sport and help student-athletes excel both on and off the water.
Assistant Coach Blake
Blake grew up in the east valley in Mesa, Arizona, and spent much of his early years playing golf, and had not discovered rowing until joining ASU’s Crew in 2023. With experience as both a rower and a coxswain, he has knowledge in almost every boat and every seat, getting more familiar with the sport through ASU and Rio Salado’s summer program. He has also served on ASU Crew’s officer board as the team’s first event coordinator, planning numerous volunteer and team events.
Along with coaching, he graduated in 2025 with a degree in Civil Engineering, and currently works as a transportation engineer in Phoenix. Blake brings familiarity with the program, a detail-oriented mindset, and a diverse experience to the team to assist them in the upcoming seasons and beyond.
Coach Declan
Declan was born in Connecticut but grew up in the Phoenix Valley and graduated from ASU with a degree in Psychology and a Kinesiology certificate in 2024. He is one of three head coaches leading ASU Rowing and also serves as head coach of Tempe Town Lake Rowing’s Junior team. In college as a member of ASU Rowing, he became the first athlete in program history to reach the grand finals at ACRA in the single, placing fourth overall after a four-year break from sculling.
With over six years of coaching experience, he has worked with a wide range of athletes. With his junior team he tripled the roster size of his high school program, and took it from racing a single annual scrimmage to competing at regional championships. He is a USRowing certified coach with NASM certifications in personal and group training.
Coach Josh