Updated 8/20/21
John Bancheri is in his fourth year as the head rowing coach at Stockton. A native of Atlantic City, Bancheri arrived at Stockton in January 2019 with nearly 35 years of college coaching experience. Last year, he helped the Ospreys make history with their first-ever gold medal in the varsity eight at the Dad Vail Regatta and the program’s best finish ever at the Mid-Atlantic Rowing Conference Championships, second place. Stockton finished the season ranked 14th in the Pocock/CRCA national poll.\
In Fall 2019, Bancheri led a Stockton program that hosted the largest regatta ever held in Atlantic City and took the varsity eight to the Ospreys’ first appearance at the famous Head of the Charles Regatta.
In Bancheri’s first season, Stockton made tremendous strides during a breakthrough Spring 2019 campaign that set the Ospreys on a path toward future success. Bancheri led the Ospreys to third place at the MARC Championships, their best finish up to that point, plus their first varsity eight medal ever at the Dad Vail Regatta with bronze.
The Stockton varsity eight finished 20th in the final cMax NCAA Division III rankings, vaulting up from 33rd early in the season. The Ospreys also posted their best finish to that point in the varsity eight at the MARC Championships with fourth place while the second varsity notched a best-ever performance as the runner-up at the conference meet.
Bancheri was the head coach of the men's and women's club teams at Grand Valley State University (MI) for 13 years from 2005-18. He led the Lakers to six consecutive American Collegiate Rowing Association (ACRA) team points championships from 2008-13.
During Bancheri's tenure at GVSU, he was selected ACRA Women's National Coach of the Year four times (2009, 12-14) and ACRA Men's and Women's Regional Coach of the Year in 2018. He also was chosen Men's Coach of the Year by The Joy of Sculling national peer group in 2015.
Bancheri's rowers won the Women's Collegiate Eights at the Head of the Charles twice (2010, 2013). In addition, he coached Sarah Zelenka, who arrived at Grand Valley State with no previous rowing experience and went on to represent Team USA in the women's pairs at the 2012 Olympics in London.
Bancheri has a history of success at the prestigious Dad Vail Regatta in Philadelphia, leading Grand Valley State to the women's team points title in 2013 and two crowns in the Women's Collegiate Eights (2010, 2013). His men's rowers also finished in top three of the Collegiate Eights at the Dad Vail five times.
Prior to his arrival at Grand Valley State, Bancheri was the director of rowing and head men's coach at Marietta College (OH) from 1994 to 2005. He led Marietta to the men's points championship at Dad Vails and was named Dad Vail Men's Coach of Year in 2002. He coached Andrew Bolton, who later won gold for Team USA in the lightweight men's eight at the 2008 World Championships.
Bancheri also has experience as the head men's and women's club team coach at Wichita State University (KS) from 1987 to 1994 and as the varsity women's coach at the University of Charleston (WV), his alma mater, from 1984 to 1987.
After graduating from Atlantic City High School, Bancheri attended the University of Charleston, earning a bachelor's degree in History in 1983. He later was inducted into the Golden Eagle Sports Hall of Fame in 2006 for his success as a coach at Charleston. Bancheri obtained his master's degree from Marietta in 2003 with an emphasis in Liberal Learning and Coaching.
