Sept. 20, 2005
LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Brooks Jones has been named the new coach of the men's varsity crew team at Loyola Marymount University, Director of Rowing Patrick Kelly announced today. Entering his fourth season of coaching, Jones brings experience from both the college and high school levels to the Lions.
"I am very excited to be coaching the men's program at LMU. This is my dream job and I am eager to see the team excel," Jones said.
Jones hopes to usher in a new era of rowing at LMU. On the men's side he has 15 returning athletes from last year with which to build success. With the addition of a few recruits and a strong freshman class this hopes to be a marquee season for men's rowing at LMU.
As an assistant coach at USC starting in the fall of 2002, he helped to lead Trojan freshman fours to a silver medal at the IRA National Championships. In 2003 to 2005, Jones was the head coach of the high school boys program at the Newport Aquatic Center in Newport Beach, CA. At the NAC, Jones led the team to consecutive victories in the Southern California Challenge Cup series, the Long Beach Invitational, and the Southwest Regional Championships in the varsity quad. Along with other numerous wins, two of his rowers earned a bronze medal at the US Rowing Youth Invitational in the double.
As a rower at LMU, Jones was a four-year letter winner and four-year member of the varsity crew team. He earned the title of captain and most valuable rower twice over the time as well as serving as president of the Loyola Marymount Rowing Association. He also helped LMU place 8th at the IRA National Championships in 1999. He is a 2002 graduate of LMU.
The Lions are fortunate to have last year's varsity coach, Tony Gjessing, continuing with the program. He will take over guidance of the Novice squad. Gjessing is in his third year with the men's rowing program, having spent the first two years as the varsity coach. This is Gjessing's second stint with the novice program at LMU. He coached the novice men's team in 1997-98 and 2000.
Gjessing's work with the varsity program over the last two years will provide Jones with a core group of athletes to continue the Lions' success.
- GO LIONS! -
