Sarah Lawrence College crew Head Coach Aleksandra Bucan (left) rowing with partner Monica Ionescu in the 2012 Head of the Schuylkill regatta. Image courtesy row2k.com.

BRONXVILLE, N.Y.—Aleksandra Bucan has been named Head Coach for Sarah Lawrence College men's and women's crew, as announced by Director of Athletics and Physical Education Kristin Maile.

Bucan immediately takes the helm of the Gryphons' rowing programs and will be in charge of managing both teams as well as recruiting new student-athletes.

"I am very excited about becoming a member of Sarah Lawrence Athletics,” noted Bucan. “The program is receiving strong support from the entire athletic department staff, which means a lot in rowing. All that is left for the team and me to do is to get plenty of interested student-athletes on board and build a strong team."

“We feel that Aleksandra is perfect for this role,” responded Maile. “She has been a part of a wide spectrum of crew teams and brings the necessary enthusiasm and passion to the position. The sport pairs well with the College, and Aleksandra will be invaluable in bringing the pieces together to grow a successful program.”

Bucan comes to Sarah Lawrence with a decade of coaching experience across a variety of skill levels. Most recently, she has served as a coach for North Jersey Rowing Club and the Passaic River Rowing Association's masters program. She also coached at Mountain Lakes Rowing Club in Lake Hopatcong, N.J.

As a rower, she was a gold medalist at the 1990 Balkan Championships before rowing for the Serbian National Team in international races. She was a member of the Red Star Rowing Club which captured 10 consecutive Serbian national championships.

Bucan went on to row at NCAA Division II Dowling College before becoming a collegiate assistant coach at Dowling and eventually returning to Serbia to coach Serbian national-level crews at Red Star.