CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Former Hurricane Paul Mokha is back in Coral Gables as a boatwright with the rowing program, having returned to The U this winter. The Philadelphia, Pa., native brings extensive experience at the collegiate, professional and Olympic levels, going from coast to coast and internationally throughout his career.

Mokha will aid considerably in managing rowing equipment, assisting with daily upkeep, inventory, budgeting and procuring new rowing equipment. Additionally, he will help transport racing shells to competition and assist in rigging decisions and equipment adjustments.

Mokha previously served on the Miami staff from 1993-97, helping the Hurricane crews win several championships in Florida, the southern region and at the Dad Vail Regattas.

“I am excited to be a Hurricane again!,” Mokha said. “I appreciate the opportunity and look forward to assisting Head Coach James [Mulcahy] and the rest of the staff as we strive to continue to raise the program to new levels of success.”

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 six medals at the 2015 Asian Championships as well as seven gold medals 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 de Janeiro, winning the C Final, a best Olympic finish for India.

“I am thrilled to welcome Paul back to the U,” head coach James Mulcahy said. “His incredible depth of rowing knowledge and experience is already benefiting our rowers, coxswains and coaches. He’s a very welcome addition to our staff. Considering our boathouse is not on-campus and we row on salt water, which is rough on our equipment, having someone like like Paul is a great benefit to our team. Paul has extensive experience running rowing programs on Miami’s waterways and is capable of spending the day at the boathouse to ensure our equipment stays in racing shape. Those qualities and his experience allows our athletes to perform at their best without worrying about the state of the equipment.”

Mokha was the head men’s coach for three seasons at UCLA (2006-09). During that period the Bruins Varsity had a .780 winning percentage, with the Varsity 8 twice finishing second at the San Diego Crew classic and the Varsity 4 placing 5th & 6th at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) Championships. Mokha went on to earn the 2008 American Collegiate Rowing Association (ACRA) West Region Coach of the Year award.

Coach Mokha came to UCLA from Barry University (1998-2006) in Miami Shores, 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 Mokha the 2006 Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA) National Collegiate Coach of the Year and Sunshine State Conference Coach of the year laurels.

Prior to coaching at Barry, Mokha 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 and at Penn AC as the U23 technical director.

A native of Philadelphia, Pa., having grown up in Erie, 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.