Coaching Staff
JP Sekulich, Director & Head Men’s Coach jpsekulich@ucsb.edu
Luke Levay, Men’s Novice Coach lukelevay@ucsb.edu
Luke is from San Dimas, CA, and grew up playing just about every sport available to him. He joined UCSB Crew as a true novice with no prior experience his freshman year in 2019 and went on to row for over four years before graduating in the spring of 2024. During his time on the team, he raced in a variety of boat classes but always found his way back to the Lwt4 when spring racing came around. He capped off his super senior year with a strong finish, placing 1st at WIRA and 6th at ACRA, earning 2nd team All-WIRA honors in the process. Now, he’s looking to carry that momentum forward as he moves into the next stage of his rowing career and works with the next generation of Gaucho rowers.
Brooke Downes, Women’s Varsity Coach bdownes@ucsb.edu
Brooke is from Boonton, New Jersey where she began rowing in high school for Row NJ (formally known as Mountain Lakes Rowing Club). She then went on to row all for years at USC and served as the captain of the team her senior year. She primarily sat in stroke seat of the 2V8, with a few races in the 1V8, and qualified twice for NCAAs. After graduating in 2019, Brooke moved to Oklahoma to train at the Olympic Training Center with OKCHP team, primarily training in the women’s single and double skulls, and raced at the US Olympic trials event in 2021. She’s raced internationally in coastal rowing, and placed 9th at her first endurance World Rowing Coastal Championship in 2021, and earned 2 silver medals at the COPA America Cup in 2023. Brooke is still training for both flat water and coastal events, and is excited to take her experiences and help grow the UCSB program.
Meg Kievman, Women’s Novice Coach mkievman@ucsb.edu