Seveth-year Head Coach Chris Pucella took over the Marietta College men’s rowing program, one of the top small-school crews in the nation, in the spring of 2005.
It did not take long for Pucella, the fifth coach since 1959, to make his mark, as he led the Varsity 8+ to a gold medal at the 2006 Dad Vail Championship. The crew joined those from 1934, 1963, 1966 and 1967 as Dad Vail champions.
Looking back, Pucella is still very proud how his men were able to come together to row such a great race and bring back a Dad Vail gold for all of the alumni, family and friends of Pioneer Rowing. Pucella, who spent two years as an assistant coach with Central Florida before coming to Marietta, followed up the gold medal by guiding the Varsity 8+ to a fourth place finish at Dad Vails in 2007.
Under Pucella's guidance, the 2010 crew posted another successful season, highlighted by a Varsity 8+ victory at the 16th annual Marietta Invitational and a Junior Varsity 8+ silver medal Dad Vails. In addition, the reestablished Lightweight 8+, which finished the year ranked #14 in the nation, took home gold at SIRA’s and helped the Pioneers take third in the overall team standings.
Pucella has devoted himself to developing the program to a level where it remains a consistent force at the Dad Vail. Marietta’s Varsity 8+ has won a medal at the event in five of the last eight years, and he intends to keep that trend alive in the years to come. Pucella also looks to build the medal count of the Freshmen 8+ and develop a consistent Lightweight program.
As a rower, Pucella won medals from Dad Vails, Royal Canadian Henley and U.S. Nationals. Pucella was awarded a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in 1997 and a Masters of Education in 2002—both from the University of Buffalo.??In the summer of 2009, Pucella was selected by the West Side Rowing Club to head its Senior Heavyweight Men's Development Camp.
Pucella has a three year old son, Dylan, and lives in Marietta.
