Oct 13- Saint Mary's College announced today the hiring of Pasha Spencer as the College's first full-time head women's rowing coach. Spencer assumed her head coaching duties with the Gaels on Monday, October 6.

"After a comprehensive nation search for a rowing coach, Saint Mary's College is excited to have Pasha Spencer guide our women's rowing program into the future," said Associate Director of Athletics Mark Orr. "Her wealth of rowing knowledge, experience, and enthusiasm will make her a great leader for the student-athletes on the rowing team."

Spencer comes to Saint Mary's from Yale University where she was an assistant crew coach for the Bulldogs. She was the head novice women's coach at Yale and head athletic recruiter for the women's program in her two years with the program from 2001-03. She helped lead the team to a 17-3 regular season record. That same year she guided the varsity four boat to the school's first ever NCAA appearance.

Before working at Yale, Spencer spent just over one year with the Saugatuck Rowing Club in Westport, CT as the Rowing Program Coordinator and the Head Junior Women's Coach. She joined the Saugatuck Rowing Club after serving a two-year graduate school fellowship at Trinity College. While at Trinity College, Spencer was the novice crew coach. In her second year with the program, she guided the novice team to an undefeated season and a gold medal championship at the "Champion International Regatta."

Following a four-year collegiate rowing career at the University of Washington, Spencer joined the Huskies rowing staff as an assistant in 1995. In her only year as the assistant novice women's crew coach, she helped the team earn a gold medal at the Northwest Regional Championships. She graduated from Washington with a bachelor's degree in Political Science in 1995.