DEDICATED COACHES
Who We Are
The coaching staff at Coastal Virginia Community Rowing brings together a wealth of experience and a shared passion for rowing. Our coaches are committed to helping athletes develop their skills, confidence, and love of the sport. From learning the fundamentals to competing at the highest levels, our coaches support athletes at every stage of their rowing journey and work to prepare them for success at the local, regional, national, and international levels.
Get to know the dedicated coaches who make Coastal Virginia Community Rowing a special place to row.
MELISSA KUCH
Head Coach
Coach Kuch is the founder, Head Coach, and member of the Board of Directors of CVCR. She previously served as Head Coach of the Cox HS Crew Club where, in 2016, both the men's and women's teams had a qualifying boat for the National Championships.
Coach Kuch was a scholarship athlete at George Mason University where she served as co-captain of the women's rowing team and earned a degree in Physiology. She went on to a successful competitive rowing career, winning gold in the lightweight single and double at the 2002 USRowing National Championships and bronze in the lightweight single at the 2003 Pan American Game in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. She later competed with the U.S. National Rowing Team in the women's lightweight quad at the 2005 FISA World Championships in Gifu, Japan.
Coach Kuch is also a software systems analyst for a leading management and technology consulting firm.
ILIANNA ROMANZO
Coach Ilianna started her accomplished coxing career with Saratoga Rowing Association in New York. Her favorite rowing memory is from her senior year of high school when the men's four she was coxing won the 2019 Youth National Championship by .01 seconds! Coach Ilianna was a recruited D1 coxswain at Old Dominion University for four years. After graduation in May 2023, Ilianna found a passion for coastal rowing and trained with Next Level Rowing. She has competed internationally in Lima, Peru (Copa America) and Bartletta, Italy (World Championships).
Coach Ilianna is the Northeast & Mid-Atlantic Sales Representative with 776BC which specializes in performance apparel for athletes on the water, road or track. She has also started her own business, Point Seven, to help educate the next generations of coxswains.
BRIAN McELLIGOTT
Coach Brian gained a love for rowing by witnessing the life-changing impact the sport has had on his two children and their teammates. He currently serves as the CVCR board president, assistant coach, boat driver, equipment repairman, regatta itinerary creator, and travel logistics coordinator for the team. Coach Brian is also an active member of the Hampton Roads Rowing Club.
Coach Brian's career in Naval Special Operations (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) spanned 22 years; before that, he was active duty in the military. He is now retired and works tirelessly to help CVCR and the local rowing community.
PAUL NIESEN
Coach Paul began his rowing journey by competing on the Yorktown High School team for five years. He was then recruited to row for Columbia University's lightweight team where he competed for all four years until his graduation in 2001. He has passed his love of rowing on to two of his children who are currently CVCR athletes. Coach Paul actively coaches for the club both on and off the water.
Outside of rowing, Coach Paul is a full time minister with the Church in Virginia Beach and a father of four.
