King, Sarff Named Assistant Rowing Coaches

CLEMSON, S.C. — Caroline King and Samantha Sarff have been hired as assistant coaches for the Clemson women’s rowing team, head coach Stephen Frazier Wong announced today. The two are the first hires made by Frazier Wong, who joined the Tigers in July after a successful stint at Nova Southeastern.

“I am extremely excited to begin this new chapter of Clemson Rowing with Coach King and Coach Sarff,” Frazier Wong said. “Along with having a wealth of experience and rowing knowledge, both of these coaches share my enthusiasm for building a positive environment where student-athletes can reach their full potential. I am confident that these two key members of my leadership team will greatly enrich the lives of the young women they encounter here at Clemson University.”

King will serve as the program’s recruiting coordinator in addition to her coaching duties. She joins the Tigers after 16 seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Texas. With the Longhorns, King was twice named South Region Assistant Coach of the Year (2006, 2011) by the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA). She coached the novice squad for 14 seasons at Texas. She previously coached at Boston College in 1997-98, where she worked the novice and varsity programs.

An accomplished rower, King participated in the 1996 and 1997 U.S. Rowing Association’s lightweight women’s development camp. She rowed for the University of Florida club team from 1993-96, earning Most Valuable Rower honors in 1995. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English composition and a minor in African studies from Florida in 1996.

Sarff joins the staff after coaching alongside Frazier Wong at NSU the past two seasons where she helped coach the Sharks to a Division II national championship and a national runner-up finish. Sarff coached the varsity 4+ and the novice teams while also serving as the program’s recruiting coordinator.

Prior to her time at Nova Southeastern, Sarff coached the club team at Florida in 2011-12 and coached the women’s novice team with her sister, Krystina, to a No. 3 national club ranking. The program’s novice 8+ placed fourth in the grand final of the SIRA Championship and first at the FIRA Championships.

Sarff earned a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from the University of Central Florida in 2010. She was a member of the rowing team at UCF and served as captain from 2008-10. Sarff was co-president of the student-athlete advisory committee (SAAC) in 2008-09 and was a CRCA National Scholar-Athlete as well. She earned a master’s degree in athletic administration on July 31 from Nova Southeastern.