COACHES
Sean McKenna | Head Coach
Sean’s first seasons with the Longhorns brought several historic firsts. Texas won, and has since defended, a team points trophy from the A.C.R.A. National Championships. In 2024 the novice rowers defeated a record 32 other schools to win their first national title. The team has bagged almost a dozen podium finishes at the S.I.R.A. Regionals and is nearly undefeated in Texas.
His crews have won Fall races at Oklahoma, Chattanooga, Philadelphia, and Austin, with multiple podium finishes at Boston's Head of the Charles. They've gone on to win Spring races at A.C.R.A Nationals, S.I.R.A. Regionals, Dad Vail, San Diego CC, Knecht Cup, Bergen Cup, Heart of Texas, Brazos, and several duels vs regional and nationally ranked teams.
A product of Philadelphia’s Schuylkill river rowing community, Sean spent six years coaching his alma mater, Temple University. With the Owls, his crews won medals every year at the Dad Vail Regatta, picked up wins against Eastern Sprints / Ivy League competitors, and appeared in national rankings multiple times. Prior to Temple, Sean was the Head Coach at Villanova University.
At the collegiate level, he rowed for Marietta and Temple, winning races at the Dad Vail, SIRA, and Club Nationals. He finished 9th at the 2012 World Championships.
Outside of rowing, Sean is a Philadelphia real estate investor and lives in Tarrytown.
Derek Snyder | Assistant Coach
A recent transplant to Austin, Derek Snyder joins Texas Crew with six years of coaching experience at the University of Southern California and San Diego State University, where he helped lead club programs to competitive success and long-term stability. He coached the SDSU lightweight men’s 8+ to a season-long national ranking and a WIRA championship.
Off the water, Derek has spent most of his career in neuroscience research and teaching, and he currently directs science partnerships and outreach programs at the American Psychological Association. Derek discovered rowing in college as a freshman walk-on, and he holds undergraduate and doctoral degrees from Yale University.
Simon Borchelt | Assistant Coach
Simon Borchelt is the son of Mark Borchelt – a seven-time U.S. National Team Member, and two-time Olympian. Simon is not only a coach, but also a dominant masters rower for Texas Rowing Center. He has represented Texas Rowing Center on the National and International stage, with consistently strong finishes at Masters Nationals and Henley Masters Regatta.
Simon was also nominated and won USRowing's 2017 Fan's Choice Master of the Year Award for his hard work and dedication to the sport. Simon is a true lover of rowing and hopes to instill this passion in our rowers. Simon returns in 2023 for his 11th year with the program.
Will Schweizer | Assistant Coach
Will is finishing his final year of undergraduate studies as a coach on Texas Crew. Backed by 4 years of racing at the collegiate level and 6 years at the junior level, Will brings a wealth of expertise to the Texas Crew coaching staff.
Logan Parker | Assistant Coach
Logan is a PhD student at UT Austin. With four years of rowing experience at Vanderbilt University, Logan is an expert member of Texas Crew’s coaching staff.
Philip Tan | Assistant Coach
Philip returns to Texas Crew as a coach after rowing six years (2016 - 2022) for the team.
Payton Brown | Assistant Coach
As a rower, Payton spent 5 years dedicated to improving the team. He believes Texas’ can win a National Championship and returns as a coach to make that happen. Payton looks forward to working with the team and improving the novice squad.
Sydney Schriever | Assistant Coach
Coach Sydney begins her 2nd year on the coaching staff after rowing 4 years as an athlete for Texas Crew. As a rower Coach Sydney earned podium finishes at SIRA and ACRA. She helped the 2023 Novice Women’s 4+ to a gold medal at SIRA.
Mesha Jefferson | Assistant Coach
Coach Mesha rowed for both Texas Crew and the NCAA Women’s Rowing team. In addition to helping Texas Crew you can find Coach Mesha helping with the Texas Juniors, teaching classes at RoFitness or out on the water herself.