PHILADELPHIA – Thomas Jefferson University is excited to announce the hiring of Michiel Bartman as the second head coach in the history of the women's rowing program, succeeding Chris O'Brien.
 
A three-time Olympic medalist, Bartman comes to the University after most recently serving as an assistant coach at Temple University for the past three years.
 
"We are very excited to have Coach Bartman join our staff as head coach of our rowing program," said Assistant Vice President for Athletics Tom Shirley. "As an Olympic gold medalist as well as a veteran of Boathouse Row, our student-athletes will have great experience to draw upon in order to get our program to the next level."
 
"I want to thank Tom Shirley for bringing me onboard to be the second head coach in the program's history," said Bartman. "Being the new head coach for the Jefferson program is something I am very excited about. I have watched the progress of the team from its start to now and see how Chris O'Brien and (Assistant Coach) Jeff Cutler have elevated the program to a strong Division II contender. The team has great energy and ambition, so I am looking forward to working with them and sharing my experience as a rower and coach to see what the future will bring us."
 
During Bartman's stay at Temple, the Owls won four Dad Vail medals including a varsity eight bronze at the 2021 regatta, the first medal by the team's top boat since 1999. In 2022, Temple claimed the Murphy Cup for the first time since 1995. The Owls placed fourth at the American Athletic Conference Championships in 2022 and fifth in 2021.
 
Bartman's collegiate coaching experience also includes stints as the head men's and women's lightweight coach at Harvard University. From 2011-13, he led the women's squad and guided the lightweight eight to first place at the Head of the Charles Regatta for the first time in program history. The Crimson also won an Eastern Sprints title and took second at the IRA National Championships.
 
Bartman switched to the men's side at Harvard in 2013 and was at the helm for three seasons. The Crimson had top finishes of second at the Head of the Charles, fifth at the Eastern Sprints, and second at the IRA National Championships during his tenure.
 
Outside the collegiate ranks, Bartman was in charge of the program at Vesper Boat Club from 2005-11. Multiple Vesper boats qualified for the world championships with the women's lightweight quad winning bronze. Bartman also served as a U.S. National Team coach. He was the Director of Rowing and coached the men's team at Port Rowing in New York from 2016-19, winning multiple state titles and qualifying multiple boats for the Youth National Championships.
 
Bartman stepped into coaching after a successful career as an athlete. He was a longtime member of the Dutch National Team, helping lead the Netherlands to Olympic Gold in the men's eight at the 1996 Atlanta Games. Bartman also earned silver in the men's quadruple sculls at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and silver in the men's eight at the 2004 Athens Games. In addition, he holds three world championships medals. Bartman served as the chairman for the Dutch National Olympic Athletes Committee from 2002-04.
 
Bartman earned a bachelor's degree in economics from the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences in his native country.