Andrew Blum serves as the Director of Rowing Operations for the University of Pennsylvania's programs (men's heavyweight, men's lightweight, women's) after being hired to that position in the summer of 2017. Blum originally came to Penn in August 2015 and spent two years as an assistant coach for the University of Pennsylvania women's rowing program under head coach Wes Ng.
Blum came to Penn after spending two years as a men’s assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the Bates College rowing program. Following the 2014-15 season, Blum -- along with Bates head coach Peter Steenstra and fellow assistant Andriel Doolittle -- was honored by the College Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA) as the NCAA Division III Coaching Staff of the Year. This, after the Bates women won the NCAA Division III national championship, the first in school history. The Bates men’s rowing team also reached unprecedented heights in the spring of 2015, going undefeated through the regatta season and then winning the bronze medal at the ECAC/National Invitational Rowing Championships (behind only Michigan and Hobart). By defeating all of its conference rivals, Bates claimed its first NESCAC championship.
Prior to his time at Bates, Blum served as a volunteer assistant coach for the University of Rhode Island women’s rowing program in 2012-13. While with URI, he worked primarily with the varsity fours and helped lead the varsity four to a first-place finish at the 2013 Atlantic-10 Championship. The victory clinched the team title for the Rams and earned them an automatic bid into the NCAA Championships -- the first in program history.
In 2011-12, Blum worked with the URI men’s rowing club, assisting with the team’s novice rowers. His novice four won the silver medal at the 2012 New England Rowing Championship.
A 2011 graduate of the University of Rhode Island, Blum helped the Rams’ second varsity four win a bronze medal at the 2010 New England Rowing Championships. He earned his bachelor’s degree in elementary education and writing and rhetoric from URI.
Blum holds USRowing Coaching Certification at levels I and II in addition to a Rhode Island Elementary Teaching Certificate.
