Coaches and Staff
Buffalo Rowing Club's high-performance racing team is guided by an exceptional coaching staff, featuring former US and Canadian National Team coaches and rowers, alongside past and current Division 1 athletes, with international race experience.
Head Coach
RJ Rubino
The Buffalo Rowing Club program is led by RJ Rubino, a former US National Team oarsman with a distinguished record at national and international regattas. RJ has directed successful programs at RowBuffalo, Canisius High School, BSRA, and the U23 US National Team.
After achieving historic success with RowBuffalo in 2023 and 2024, he founded the non-profit Buffalo Rowing Club. Under his leadership, RJ's rowers have won a U23 World Championship, fourteen Royal Canadian Henley titles, thirteen USRowing Youth and Summer National Championships, seven CSSRAs, four SRAAs, and dozens of New York State Championships. Alumni of his programs have won prestigious events such as the Eastern Sprints, IRAs, and World Championships.
Assistant Coach
Brett Vilk
Brett Vilk joins the BRC coaching staff from Grimsby, Ontario. After a distinguished rowing career with Team Canada, Cal Berkeley, Brentwood, and RowBuffalo. A multi-year member of Canada’s U23 8+ and U19 4-, Brett stroked the 1V to a top finish at the Head of the Charles during his senior year at Cal Berkeley. In 2023, he led RowBuffalo to victory as the stroke of the Canadian Henley Championship 8+. Brett is a multi-time CSSRA & SRAA champion.
Assistant Coach
Nathaniel Sass
Nathaniel Sass joins the Buffalo Rowing Club after finishing his collegiate career with two years at Boston University and three years with the University of Pennsylvania lightweights. In that time, he has achieved a U23 World Rowing Championship in 2022, two US National teams, 3x IRCA First Team All American, the UPenn Lightweight 2k record, along with multiple IRA and Eastern Sprints medals. Now returning home, he hopes to help maintain the new era of rowing success in the Buffalo rowing community as a coach and a rower.
Assistant Coach
Wilder Fulford
Wilder Fulford joins BRC from London, England, where he learned to row at Westminster School. He is currently in his second season at Stanford University, where he has raced with the 1V and 2V 8+. In the summer of 2024, Wilder contributed to RowBuffalo's victory as 6-seat of the Royal Canadian Henley-winning Senior 8+. He comes to BRC as both a rower and coach, building on his coaching experience with South Niagara Rowing Club.
Head of Finance Comittee
Connor Kennedy
Connor Kenney attended City Honors High School and was a top performer of their Varsity Rowing Team before joining RowBuffalo as a rower in 2023, then assistant coach in 2024. Connor now attends Colby College, studying Business. He continues to contribute to the rowing community as the Buffalo Rowing Club's Head of Finance Comittee.
Assistant Coach
Esther Littlefield
Esther joins Buffalo Rowing Club's coaching staff as a current member of the Northeastern University Rowing Team. In her freshman season with NU, she raced in with the 2nd Varsity 8+ at NCAAs. Esther began her rowing career at Nardin Academy and West Side, before leading RowBuffalo's to their first women's national title in 2024.
Business Manager
John "Fritz" Wright
John "Fritz" Wright joins Buffalo Rowing Club as Business Manager, overseeing aspects of procuring corporate sponsorships, drafting press releases, as well as internal affairs. Fritz was a member of RowBuffalo's historic 2024 Canadian Henley winning Senior 8+. Fritz currently rows for University California Berkley's Varsity Men's Rowing Team.
Assistant Coach
Ryan Ficorilli
Ryan Ficorilli joins Buffalo Rowing Club after back-to-back championship winning seasons with RowBuffalo. As an oarsman, Ryan led the Columbia University Rowing Team as captain for two years. He holds gold metal victories in eights at the Sprints. He has coached college and high school programs for over 10 years with gold metal results at NYS Championships, SRAA, and CSSRA events. He was a member of the US National Team and represented the US at the Pan Am Games. Ryan has won/medaled at every major regatta in North America.