The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Allen promoted to associate head coach, Doonan added as assistant coach
06.29.2022 | Rowing
Texas Rowing announces the promotion of Mara Allen to associate head coach and the addition of Gia Doonan to the full-time staff; Nick Baker named recruiting coordinator.
AUSTIN, Texas – University of Texas Rowing head coach Dave O'Neill announced Wednesday the promotion of assistant Mara Allen to associate head coach, and the addition of Gia Doonan as assistant coach. Nick Baker will continue in his role as assistant coach and assume responsibilities as the recruiting coordinator.
"I'm really excited to have Gia join our staff full-time," O'Neill said. "She was a super-star on our team and played a huge role in bringing our team to national prominence. She has a wealth of experience both at Texas and the national team, and she's already shown to be a fantastic coach. Everyone is looking forward to what's ahead."
Allen was among O'Neill's first hires when he arrived on the Forty Acres in 2014 and just completed her seventh season as an assistant coach at Texas. During her seven seasons, the Longhorns have won two national championships, recorded three top-two national showings and four top-three finishes, all in the last four seasons. All told, UT has placed in the top eight at the national regatta in all seven seasons. She has helped guide the Longhorns to seven consecutive Big 12 Championships, and has been part of two Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA) National Staffs of the Year (2015, 2021) and four CRCA Regional Staffs of the Year (2015, 2018, 2019, 2022).
"I'm very excited to continue working with this team and staff," Allen said. "I've learned so much from them and I am incredibly thankful to have the opportunity to continue to do so in this new role. Hook 'em!"
Prior to joining O'Neill's staff, Allen served as the women's freshman rowing coach at St. Ignatius College Preparatory School in San Francisco and as an assistant coach at the U.S. Rowing Development Sculling Camp in the summer of 2014.
Allen was an elite rower herself in the collegiate and international ranks. She trained with the U.S. Women's National Rowing Team from 2008-12 and helped the Americans to gold at the World Rowing Championships in 2009. Allen helped the U.S. to bronze at the 2010 World Rowing Championships, and she won bronze for the U.S. at the 2009 Under-23 World Rowing Championships.
A native of San Francisco, Allen rowed for four years under O'Neill at California and helped the Golden Bears to NCAA team titles in 2005 and 2006. She earned first-team All-America honors in 2007 and 2008 and served as Cal's team captain both seasons. Allen was the 2005 Pac-10 Conference Newcomer of the Year and helped the Golden Bears to three Pac-10 Conference titles.
Doonan served as a volunteer assistant coach with the Longhorns during the 2022 National Championship season.
"I'm really excited to be back at Texas and coaching for my alma mater," Doonan said. "It means a lot to me and I hope I can keep adding to the boat speed in anyway. Hook 'Em!"
The Rochester, Mass. native rowed four seasons with the Longhorns (2013-17) and is currently a member of the USRowing senior national team. She helped Team USA to a fourth-place finish with the eight at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
At UT, Doonan was a two-time Big 12 Rower of the Year (2015, 2017), three-time CRCA All-American (2015-17) and a four-time All-Big 12 First Team selection (2014-17). She won three Big 12 Championships (2015-17) and competed in three NCAA Championships in the first varsity eight with the Longhorns.
With the national team in 2019, Doonan placed third in the eight at the World Rowing Championships, second in the eight at the World Rowing Cup II, and second in the four at the World Rowing Cup I. The previous year, she finished ninth in the pair and first in the eight at the 2018 World Rowing Championships and placed third in the eight at the 2018 World Rowing Cup III. She served as an alternate for the senior team at the 2017 World Rowing Championships.
As a member of the USRowing U-23 team, she won gold in the four and eight at the 2016 World Rowing Under 23 Championships.
Baker joined Texas Rowing in February 2018, helping the Longhorns to two national titles, three top-two finishes and four top-three results in his four seasons.
Before arriving in Austin, Baker served three seasons as an assistant coach at Drexel University, where he was the primary coach for the freshman program. His freshmen won the Dad Vail Gold Medal in all three seasons and were a grand finalist at the IRA in 2015 and 2016. He coached the third varsity eight boat and recruited three of the top freshman classes in program history. He also served as the head coach for the USRowing U-23 Development Camp in 2015.
Ahead of his time at Drexel, Baker was the head lightweight men's coach at The University of Pennsylvania for five seasons. In 2013, he led the Quakers to their first gold medal at the prestigious Head of the Charles since 1968. His freshmen eight won the EARC Sprints gold medal in 2014, which marked the first gold medal for the program since 1976.
Baker coached four seasons at the U.S. Naval Academy from 2005-09. He led the freshman (plebe) lightweight men for three seasons and coached the first and second plebe boats to an undefeated regular season in the eights. Baker led the Midshipmen's head lightweight program during the 2009 season and paced Navy to a pair of medals at the Head of the Charles.
Baker began his collegiate coaching career during the 2004-05 season as an assistant coach for the men's heavyweight program at Yale University.
A 2001 graduate of the University of Buffalo, Baker served as both captain and president of Buffalo's rowing team, while also serving as captain for the West Side Rowing Club's lightweight team. His teams won a pair of club national titles and four Canadian Henley championships.
