Clark University Women's Crew

McDonald, a familiar face in the New England rowing community, was named head coach of the Clark University mens and womens rowing programs on August 8, 2012. A veteran coach with more than 16 years of experience, McDonald has coached at several different levels including at US national development camps and at the Division I college level. McDonald comes to Clark after a two-year stint as the head coach of the mens program at the University of Rhode Island. While at URI, he led the Rams to a grand final appearance at New England Rowing Championships (NERC) and top ten performances at the Head of the Charles Regatta and at the American Collegiate Rowing Association (ACRA) National Championship. From 2007-2009 McDonald was the head coach at Saint Johns High School in nearby Shrewsbury, producing several collegiate student-athletes. For more than a decade he spent time working at NEWMAC rivals Wellesley College and WPI. While with the Blue he served as the novice coach and the Director of the Seven Sisters Regatta. During his time with the Engineers he worked both on the mens and womens sides and with the novices and the varsity, helping the mens team go from club to varsity. He has held numerous other coaching positions from Emory University in Atlanta to working as the head sculling coach and regatta director for the Quinsigamond Rowing Association in Worcester. McDonald is a 1997 graduate of Worcester State with a degree in business administration and accounting.