Sept. 11, 2013
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State rowing team has completed its coaching staff with the additions of Daniel Duxbury and Heather Crichton. The two new assistant coaches will join first-year head coach Bill Zack as the Aztecs enter their first year as a member of Conference USA.
"We are very happy to have added Heather and Dan to the coaching staff," said Zack. "Heather is only a few years removed from her experience as a Division I rowing student-athlete and her perspective will help the current team as well as help in the recruiting process.
"Dan and I first got to know each other while working together with the junior national team sculling system. Dan is an outstanding coach who will be great on the water as well as with all the administrative chores that are part of coaching at the Division I level."
Duxbury arrives on Montezuma Mesa after spending the 2012-13 season on the coaching staff of the Arizona State University club rowing team. In addition to his duties with the Sun Devils, Duxbury founded the adaptive rowing program at Rio Salado Rowing Club in Tempe, Ariz., where he coached masters crews. Prior to Rio Salado, he founded and served as head coach for 11 seasons with the Tempe Junior Crew program, as more than 60 of the rowers he coached went on to row with Division I schools. In addition, Duxbury's tenure at TJC was highlighted by the participation of two of his athletes in the junior women's double at the 2007 World Junior Rowing Championships in Beijing, China.
A native of Worcester, Mass., Duxbury began his rowing career as an undergraduate at Worcester State College, where he rowed for four seasons primarily in the team's top boat, the lightweight four. Duxbury also competed with the Quinsigamond Rowing Association and the Vesper Rowing club during summers off from his collegiate team. Duxbury continued his education at Arizona State, where he received a bachelor of liberal studies degree. Duxbury is married to Susan G. White, a commissioner with the Arizona Superior Court.
Crichton, meanwhile, brings six years of rowing experience with her to The Mesa including four seasons as a rower at Kansas State. During her four years as a competitor with the Wildcats Crichton rowed in all boat categories at various times, including the first eight, second eight, four and novice eight. While at KSU Crichton participated in the San Diego Crew Classic on three occasions and also found success at the Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association championships, as well as the Sunshine State Games.
Following her competitive rowing days, Crichton spent a part of one season as an undergraduate assistant with the Wildcats, followed by a one-year stint as a volunteer assistant coach. Crichton's many duties included coaching the KSU redshirt freshman team, novice crews, as well as the varsity four. Crichton, who received a bachelor's degree in marketing in 2011, also worked as a sales and marketing team representative for GTM Sportswear in Manhattan, Kan.
Crichton is a native of Oak Grove, Missouri, and was a three-sport athlete at Oak Grove High School. During her prep career, Crichton was a four-time all-state award winner in track and also participated in basketball and volleyball.
Aztec rowing will usher in a new era in 2013-14 with the addition of a new coaching staff and becoming a first-year member of Conference USA.