Nate began his rowing career the summer after his seventh grade year at T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, VA. As a rower for T.C. Williams, he had one undefeated season, won multiple NOVA and NCASRA titles, made the grand finals of Stotesbury and Nationals several times, and was awarded the Old Dominion Boat Club Outstanding Oarsmen award his senior year. 

 

Upon graduation, he went on to row at Cornell University as a lightweight. There, he had one undefeated season, won Eastern Sprints, and placed second at the Belly of the Carnegie, losing only to the other Cornell lightweight boat. After graduating from Cornell, he took a short pause from the sport to pursue graduate studies at Georgetown University in Biostatistics, Bioinformatics and Biomathematics.

 

Nate began his coaching career in 2010 for Robinson Secondary School where he primarily worked with the top two boys varsity boats. He transitioned to McLean as the boys varsity coach in the fall of 2016. There, he led the team to a string of VSRC Division 1 Team Points trophies from 2018-2019 and 2021-2023; won the varsity 8 in 2018, 2019, 2021, 2023; and was runner up in 2017 and 2022. Additionally, his boats have made the grand finals at both Stotesbury and SRAA (nationals). He was named the Washington Post All-Met Coach of the Year in 2019 and serves as the Vice President of the Southern Mid-Atlantic Area Association of Crew Coaches. 

 

Nate is a US Rowing Level II certified coach. His rowers have been selected to the Washington Post All-Met rowing team, named to the US Rowing Honor Roll, awarded the SRAA scholarship, and many have gone on to row for various colleges including, but not limited to, Cornell University, Yale University, University of Virginia, Mercyhurst University, William and Mary, Oregon State, University of Delaware, and the Hobart and William Smith Colleges.

 

Nate works for the DoD Office of Inspector General. He is married to a caring wife with whomst he has an energetic son and a mini goldendoodle. 

 

Coach Azim grew up in Alexandria, VA, and began his rowing career in 1999 at Alexandria City High School (ACHS), later joining the Old Dominion Boat Club in 2001. His coaching journey started the same year when he worked with the Alexandria Crew Boosters’ summer and fall programs. After gaining experience over the years, he transitioned to full-time coaching in 2009.

Following his college graduation, Azim became an assistant coach for ACHS’s women’s team, leading crews to two state championships in the girl's 3rd eight event. He then moved on to serve as the women’s head coach at Westfield High School and as an assistant coach at Robinson Secondary School.

From 2017 to 2021, Azim returned to ACHS, this time coaching the men’s novice program. Under his leadership, the team secured a bronze medal in the novice eight event in 2019 and a gold medal in the men’s fourth eight event in 2021.

Coach Azim is a USRowing Level II certified coach who focuses on developing and refining the fundamentals of competitive rowing. At McLean, he has guided the boys' 3rd eight to two gold medals and one silver at the Virginia State Championships. He also led the boys' 4th eight to a gold medal at the same event in 2023. In addition, his out-of-season club crews achieved first-place finishes in the boys U17 eight event at both the Head of the Occoquan and Head of the James regattas in 2022.

Braden Barnett is a McLean Alumnus (Class of ‘21) and has been coaching for 2 years. He began his coaching career at Yorktown High School where he ran the freshman/novice program, coaching his Freshman 8 crew to a gold medal at VSRC and finals appearances at the Stotesbury Regatta and SRAA National Championship.

 

He has been an assistant coach for the TBC Racing U19 Boys in the Summer and sent crews to USRowing Summer Nationals and Canadian Henley. He currently is a senior at the George Washington University where he studies International Affairs and is team captain of the Men's rowing team. At GW, he has won the ACRA Championship and a bronze medal at the Head of the Charles.

 

At McLean, he won the State Championship 3 times in the Freshman 8 and 1V categories and is extremely excited to help the program continue and build upon its culture of success.

Jon began rowing in 1996 at Hylton High School in Woodbridge, VA, and has been enjoying the challenge ever since. As a scholastic rower, Jon won medals at the Virginia State Championships and at Stotesbury and was a finalist at the SRAA Regatta. He then rowed collegiately at George Mason University where he was a three-time IRA Regatta finalist and team captain.

 

After graduation, he moved into coaching, where he has worked with all levels of crews, but is now most enthused to help novice rowers set a foundation and develop good habits. The 2025 season will mark Jon's 22nd season as a scholastic coach.

 

Jon completed the USRowing Level 3 coaching certification in 2012. He joined McLean in the fall of 2016 and continues to train and race at local regattas and enjoys competing in triathlons and running events.