Alexander Bunkers Joins Women's Crew Staff as Assistant Coach
7/22/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Crew
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Alexander Bunkers, a former standout and four-time IRA National Champion at the University of Washington, will join the Brown University women's crew program as an assistant coach in 2015-16, head coach John Murphy and associate head coach Phoebe Murphy '82 announced on Wednesday.
"Phoebe and I are pleased to add Alex to our staff, and we believe that he can help us continue to find success in the increasingly competitive world of women's rowing," John Murphy said. "His achievements on the intercollegiate and international levels will help our student-athletes realize that same degree of distinction."
Bunkers competed at Washington from 2009-13, rowing with the first varsity eight in each of his last three years. A captain for the Huskies as a senior, Bunkers won the IRA National Championship in the varsity eight with Washington in 2011, 2012, and 2013. He also won gold with the Huskies' freshman boat at IRAs in 2010.
"This is a fantastic opportunity to work alongside two CRCA Hall of Fame coaches that have won multiple National Championships," Bunkers said. "I am thrilled to join Brown University and am looking forward to this upcoming season."
A four-time gold-medal winner at the Pacific-12 Conference Championships, Bunkers spent two years rowing for USRowing's U23 team. He won gold medals with the US U23 men's eight at the world championships in both Amsterdam, Netherlands in 2011 and in Trakai, Lithuania in 2012. In 2009, he came in fourth with the US Junior National team's eight at the world championships in Brive-La-Gaillarde, France.
During his time at Washington, Bunkers earned All Pac-12 honors, Pac-12 All-Academic accolades, and the Huskies' Dick Erickson Award, given to the oarsman who demonstrates excellent athletic and academic performance. In 2014-15, he served as a coach with North Orlando Rowing, leading the women's four to a silver medal at the Florida State Championships.
A native of Maitland, Fla., and a 2009 graduate of Winter Park High School, Bunkers attained a bachelor's degree in communications from Washington in 2013.
