Kyle Barnhart '14 & '24 - Head Coach

Email: [email protected]

Coach Kyle Barnhart joined the Grand Valley coaching staff in 2021 and is currently the interim head coach and varsity men’s coach. During the 2022-23 season, he led the Varsity Men’s 4+ to a second place finish and the Varsity Men’s 4x to a third place finish at the ACRA National Championship. In the 2021-22 campaign, as the novice men’s coach, he led the Novice Men’s 8+ to a silver medal at the Dad Vail Regatta and a fourth place finish at the ACRA National Championship. Prior to GVSU, Barnhart spent six years as the junior program head coach at the Grand Rapids Rowing Club.

Barnhart began rowing in high school and was a four-year coxswain at Grand Valley State University. During his time at GVSU, he coxed the Women’s Varsity 8+ to a gold medal at the 2013 Dad Vail Regatta, helping to secure the women’s team points trophy, and a win at the ACRA National Championship, cementing the team’s 6^th consecutive team points title. That same year they also competed at the Henley Women’s Regatta, advancing to the final round before finishing runner-up to Oxford University. In 2014 he coxed the Men’s Varsity 8+ to a win at the San Diego Crew Classic, a 5^th place finish at the Dad Vail, and a bronze medal at the ACRA National Championship. His career at GVSU also included two top ten finishes at the Head of the Charles.

Barnhart is the Assistant Director for Alumni Engagement in GVSU’s Alumni Relations office where he has worked since 2017. He is married to Rhiannon McHenry Barnhart, a 2015 alumnae and former coxswain who won three national championships and the Head of the Charles in her time with the Lakers. They live in Grand Haven with their dog, Maple.

McKenzie Sandel '22 - Assistant Coach, Varsity Women

McKenzie Sandel first fell in love with rowing in 2011 when she joined a youth rowing camp conducted by Grosse Ile and the Wyandotte Boat Club. From that moment forward, she knew that rowing was what she wanted to pursue for the rest of her life.

In 2013 McKenzie joined her High School's rowing team (Grosse Ile) eventually earning a spot in the top lightweight four which was undefeated in the US for almost four years. In addition to the traditional spring racing season, McKenzie spent her summers racing for the Wyandotte Boat Club and was a volunteer coach for the middle school youth rowing camp. Coaching was one of the greatest highlights of McKenzie's rowing career. She said, "Watching the athletes fall in love with rowing the same way I did is so rewarding. This experience will be something they take with them for the rest of their lives, and I am glad to be a part of it."

In 2017 McKenzie continued her rowing career at Grand Valley State University, where she studied entrepreneurship and marketing. During McKenzie's freshman year, she walked onto the university's rowing team and earned a seat in the top Varsity 8+. While rowing she became a multi–ACRA National Champion and set three world records as well as three American records for completing erg marathons. McKenzie also held multiple leadership titles such as Team Captain, Trustee, Rent-A-Rower Coordinator, and President. In 2019 during McKenzie's collegiate career, she earned a spot on the U23 Vesper rowing team and raced in the varsity open quad, eight, and lightweight eight. 

McKenzie is excited to dive deeper into the world of coaching so that she can give back to a community that gave her so much. She hopes to empower other rowers to be their best, believe in themselves, and become the leaders they are meant to be.

Rebecca Kelley '22 - Assistant Coach, Novice Women

Originally from upstate New York, Rebecca first started rowing in 2011 on the Burnt Hills middle school team and continued rowing through high school. After graduating, she came to GVSU and majored in clinical exercise science. During her time at GVSU, she placed 2^nd in the Novice Women's 8+ at the Dad Vail Championship in 2019 and won two ACRA National Championships, in the Novice Women’s 8+ in 2019 and the Varsity Women’s 8+ in 2022. Prior to joining the GVSU staff in 2024, Rebecca spent two years as the co-head coach of the junior program at the Grand Rapids Rowing Club. She is excited to be back with the Laker Navy and hopes to bring up the next class of novice women and watch them fall in love with the sport.

Beka Gair '24 - Assistant Coach, Novice Men

Beka began rowing in 2015 at the Grand Rapids Rowing Club. She went on to row for GVSU while majoring in behavioral neuroscience and serving in leadership roles with the team. In 2022, Beka competed in the Women’s 2^nd Varsity 8+ brining home gold at the Dad Vail Championship and the ACRA National Championship. In 2023 she had a top ten finish in the Women’s Varsity 4+ at the Head of the Charles. As she moves from athlete to coach, Beka is excited to remain involved, gain new perspectives on the sport, and share her knowledge with new rowers.