SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Former U.S. Rowing National Team member and Dartmouth College graduate Anne Kennedy has been named head women's crew coach at Santa Clara University, as announced by SCU Director of Athletics and Recreation Dan Coonan.

Kennedy will join the Broncos family after spending the past year training with the U.S. National Team in Princeton, N.J. A native of Cooperstown, N.Y., Kennedy has recent Bay Area ties, serving as assistant women's crew coach at the University of California in 2007-08.

"The dedication and joy that characterizes this Bronco community is inspiring," said Kennedy. "I'm thrilled to become part of Santa Clara Athletics and very excited to begin."

Involved in all aspects of coaching and recruiting at Cal, Kennedy helped lead the Golden Bears to a Pac-10 Conference title in 2008. Cal's Varsity 8 finished third at the 2008 NCAA Championships.

"Anne is a very accomplished athlete and an incredibly impressive person," said Coonan. "We are really pleased to be bringing Anne on to run our crew program. Her approach to coaching and her way with people will fit so nicely within the mission of the University. The Santa Clara community is going to love her."

Kennedy developed into a world-class athlete at Dartmouth, joining the team as a freshman walk-on and leaving as a first-team All-American. The Big Green's team captain as a senior in 2006-07, Kennedy was the stroke on Dartmouth's Varsity 8 that placed eighth at the 2007 NCAA Championships.

Twice a member of the U-23 U.S. National Team, Kennedy and her U.S. teammates won the gold medal at the 2006 FISA World Rowing U-23 Championships in Hazelwinkel, Belgium. Named to the team again in 2007, Kennedy and the U.S. medaled for a second-straight year, claiming the bronze at the 2007 FISA World Rowing U-23 Championships in Strathclyde, Scotland.