Aug. 21, 2009

NORMAN, Okla. - Marina Traub was announced as the new assistant rowing coach by Head Rowing Coach Leeanne Crain Friday, August 21, 2009.

Traub comes to Oklahoma from Alabama where she spent three seasons as an assistant coach, overseeing the Crimson Tide's novice squad and recruiting efforts.
 
"We are very fortunate to have Marina come on board as a member of our coaching staff," said Crain. "Marina has a rich rowing background, and has coached at some of the top programs in the nation. The experience she brings will help us in recruiting and in the development of our current student-athletes."

Alabama's novice squad had much success in its first three seasons under Traub, faring well against established programs. In 2008, the Tide's novice eight made it to the grand finals of the prestigious Dad Vail College Championships. Last season, she coached her novice eight to a first-place finish at the SIRA Championships.
 
Before Alabama, Traub had a two-year stint as head coach at Trinity College where she led her squads to a pair of top-three finishes at the NCAA Division III Championships. In 2005, the Trinity varsity won the Collegiate Eight at the Head of the Charles and the Varsity 8 at the NCAA Championships. For her efforts, she was named the 2005 CRCA DIII Coach of the Year.
 
Prior to Trinity, she was at the University of Wisconsin, where she coached the novice squad before serving as interim associate head coach in her last season with the Badgers. Under her direction as the Wisconsin novice coach, her squads won three Big Ten Championships. 
 
Traub started her collegiate coaching career at the University of California-Berkeley where she served as the varsity assistant coach. She worked primarily with the varsity fours, which culminated in a first-place finish at PAC-10s. The team finished third at the 2002 NCAA Championships. 
 
"Her knowledge and passion for the sport is undeniable," Crain added. "She has a proven track record with the teams she's coached, and knows what it takes to build a nationally competitive Division I program. I know Marina will do a great job identifying and recruiting the nation's top junior prospects to the University of Oklahoma. Her energy and enthusiasm will be a great asset to our program and there's no doubt that she will help us in our quest for winning championships."

A 2000 University of Virginia graduate with an American politics degree, Traub was a four-year letter winner and helped the Cavaliers to four-straight NCAA Championship appearances.
 
"First of all, I am honored and humbled that Coach Crain asked me to be a part of her coaching staff; she is a proven leader and clearly knows how to build a program into a national contender," said Traub. "The coaches she already has in place, [Andy Derrick and Megan Mitchell] work really well together and come from fantastic programs. These are people who have been to the top of the mountain and know how to get back there and I look forward to the opportunity to work with them.

"What Oklahoma accomplished in just its first year as a program, earning titles at the Big 12 Championship and representing well at the South/Central Regional, along with the community and University's demonstrated commitment to rowing facilities and student- athlete support, makes this a fantastic place to recruit to, and that is the part of the job I look forward to the most. I feel beyond confident, I feel proud, to add my name to this program and present it to the rowing community."