MIAMI SHORES, Fla.—Former University of Miami interim head rowing coach Boban Rankovic has been hired as the Barry University assistant rowing coach, director of athletics Michael L. Covone announced on Tuesday. Rankovic, who brings a combined 14 years of rowing and coaching experience to the program, becomes the first full-time rowing assistant coach in the program’s history.
“I am excited to have Boban join the Barry coaching staff,” head coach Dave Sanderson said. “His coaching experience as well as his outstanding racing experience as an Olympic athlete will be a huge asset to the program. His hiring marks a definitive step forward for the Barry Women’s Rowing program.”
Rankovic joins the Bucs from the University of Miami where he served as the interim head coach from 2008-2009. Prior to Miami, Rankovic served as the Director of Rowing at the Ronald W. Shane Watersports Center in Miami Beach.
“Boban will be a valuable addition to our coaching staff,” senior associate director of athletics Bridget Lyons said. “He brings coaching experience from Division I, Division II and club and he has competed at the highest level. He has the qualities that make him a great fit for our program.”
Prior to moving to South Florida, Rankovic served as the head coach and assistant athletic director at Dowling College in Oakdale, New York from 2001-2004.
Rankovic’s rowing accolades include an 8th place finish in the Men’s Coxless Four at the 2000 Olympic Summer Games in Sydney, Australia where he competed for his native Serbia. While a member of the Serbian National Team, Rankovic’s coxless four won gold medals at the 2000 Nations Cup Regatta and the 2001 World U-23 Regatta. As a Division II collegiate athlete with Dowling College, Rankovic won the 1998 Dad Vail Varsity Coxed four event and the 2002 Dad Vail Varsity Men’s Eight event.
Rankovic earned his bachelor of business administration from Dowling in 2003 and his MBA from Dowling the following year.