Paul Mokha arrives at Miami in January of 2024, bringing extensive experience at the collegiate, professional and olympic level, going from coast to coast and internationally throughout his career.
During Mokha’s first season with Miami, Miami’s Aaliah Dawson and Constance Stirling earned All-ACC Championship honors. During the championships the Hurricanes set program records for times in all three varsity eight boats. Off the water, the program announced the opening of the on-campus training facility for dry-land training, studying and more. Miami experienced unprecedented success early on in the season as well, topping No. 20 Oregon State in the Dexter Lake Invite while also finishing first of 16 teams at the Sunshine State Invite in Sarasota, Fla.
A former Hurricane, Mokha served as the women’s coach from 1994-97, helping the Hurricane crews win several championships in Florida, the southern region and at the Dad Vail Regattas.
Mokha has qualified 11 crews for the national championships and earned 25 Florida State Championship medals while helping over a dozen student-athletes earn collegiate rowing scholarships.
Mokha spent 2015-2016 coaching in Pune, India for the Indian Army rowing team. During that time his crews won 6 medals at the 2015 Asian Championships and 11 medals, including seven gold at the 2016 US Club National Championships. Coach Mokha’s men’s single sculler qualified for the 2016 Olympic Games and finished 13th in Rio, winning the C Final, a best Olympic finish for India.
Paul was the Head Men’s coach for three seasons at UCLA. During that period the Bruins Varsity had a .78 winning percentage, with the Varsity 8 twice finishing second at the San Diego Crew classic and the Varsity 4 placing 5th & 6th at the IRA Championships. Mokha went on to earn the 2008 ACRA West Region Coach of the Year award.
Coach Mokha came to UCLA from Barry University in Miami, Fla., where he was the head women’s coach for eight seasons. In that time he guided the program to three Sunshine State Conference Championships and four trips to the NCAA Championships with a 2nd place finish at the 2006 National Championship regatta. His varsity 8 won back-to-back Dad Vail Regatta Championships, earning Paul the 2006 CRCA National Collegiate Coach of the Year and Sunshine State Conference Coach of the year laurels.
Prior to coaching at Barry, Paul served as an assistant coach for the US Women’s National team in San Diego, Calif. He assisted in the selection and preparation of crews for the World Championships and coached the Women’s four to a 4th place finish at the 1997 World Championships.
During his career he has also coached at the Vesper Rowing Club in Philadelphia, working with the elite men and lightweight women and at Penn AC as the U23 Technical Director.
A native of Philadelphia, Pa., having grown up in Eria, Pa., Mokha was a coxswain for the US National Team and competed at the World Championships three times. He also won the Henley Royal Regatta in England and competed in several World Cup races and World University Games.
A graduate of Temple University, Mokha earned varsity letters and helped lead the Owls to two Dad Vail Regatta Championships and a bronze medal at the IRA Championships.
