A 1989 graduate of Brown, Cooke is entering his 15th season as a part of the men's crew staff, and ninth as head coach. Prior to being named head coach of the varsity team in 2002, Cooke served as the head coach of the freshman team for six years.

Last season, in 2008-09, Brown enjoyed a historic season, competing extraordinarily well at the triple crown of Sprints, IRA's, and Henley. After an impressive fall season, highlighted by finishing second overall in the Champ 8 at the Head of the Charles, the Bears looked promising throughout the spring season. Bruno peaked at just the right time though, sweeping the heavyweight events at the EARC Sprints, and taking home the Rowe Cup as the top overall team by a wide margin. That momentum continued through the IRA National Championships, as Brown finished third overall in the team standings, the highest finish by an East Coast school. The second varsity eight and freshman eight also saw the medal stands, finishing second and third respectively, while the varsity eight finished a close fourth, but was the first Ivy school in. The Bears wrapped up a terrific season by traveling across the Atlantic to race at the Henley Royal Regatta, where the varsity eight won the prestigious Ladies Plate Challenge Cup for the first time since 2000. The freshman eight also performed well, placing a close second in the Temple Cup.

In 2007-2008 the Bears continued to excel under Cooke's leadership. They finished third at the prestigious Head of the Charles during the fall season, losing only to the US National Team and Wisconsin. The team carried that momentum through a terrific spring season, going undefeated and capturing an Ivy Championship. Brown then tested itself against the best in the country at the IRA Regatta in June and emerged as a top-10 squad.

In the spring of 2006, the Brown Crew re-established itself as one of the top crews in the country as they began the year with a thrilling victory over defending national champions, Harvard. The Bears came out strong, snapping the Crimson's three-year winning streak. The dual season continued with convincing victories over Northeastern, Dartmouth and Boston University before Brown fell to first-seeded Princeton. At the 2006 Eastern Sprints, the men's varsity eight garnered third place in the grand final, Brown's best finish since its title in 2000. The crew capped off an exciting 2006 season with a bronze medal in the varsity eight race of the 2006 IRA National Championships, where the Bears were also awarded the Chapman Trophy for the most improved team.

In 2005, Cooke's varsity eight earned a fifth place at the Eastern Sprints Championship and finished the season 10th in the country and third in the Ivy League. The 2005 squad placed three of four boats in the Grand Finals and the freshmen eights swept the regatta. In 2004, the squad also placed three of four boats in the Eastern Sprints finals and the Bears' second varsity eight placed fourth in the East.

In 2003, Cooke led Brown to winning duel meet records in the varsity, second varsity and third varsity eights. The varsity placed fifth at Sprints and third among Ivy schools. At the IRA Championships, the varsity eight just came short of making the Grand Final, but won the petite final in convincing fashion.

In his first year as head varsity coach, the Bears had strong showings at Syracuse, Boston University, and Dartmouth in 2002. The second varsity boat earned a sixth place finish at the IRA Championship as well.

While under the direction of Cooke for seven years, the freshmen raced with consistent success and were perennial contenders for the championship at the Eastern Sprints and the IRA. The freshmen recorded a 28-5 record in dual races, including an undefeated dual season in the 2000 campaign. At the Eastern Sprints, the freshmen have won medals five times in six tries, including the Eastern Sprints Championship in 1995. In 1999, Cooke's freshmen crew won the IRA, and set the course record at 5 minutes 34 seconds.

Cooke started his coaching career after college, when he moved to Seattle to coach the Green Lake boys' crew, part of a city-wide rowing program for high school students. His successes there led him to Cornell where he coached the freshman lightweight crew to a 21-4 record over three seasons. In 1992, his freshman eight was undefeated with an 8-0 dual meet record and a championship title at the Eastern Sprints. In 1994, the freshmen, including seven novice oarsmen, won the Sprints again.

In addition to his collegiate responsibilities, Cooke has helped to generate outstanding performances for United States Teams in international races. With the US Under-23 Team, Cooke has helped bring US teams to the Nation's Cup twice, in 1997 and 1999. In Hamburg in 1999, Cooke teamed with Dan Roock to coach the US eight to an open water victory at the Nation's Cup. As a junior team coach, Cooke had primary responsibility for the pair with coxswain that brought home the bronze medal in 1994, and he coached the four with coxswain to a silver medal in 1998.

A varsity oarsman at Brown, Cooke won IRA Championships with the freshmen and junior varsity eight, a silver medal at the IRA with the varsity and earned a bronze medal in the varsity eight at the National Collegiate Rowing Championship. A native of Ithaca, New York, Cooke currently resides in Barrington with his wife, Laura, and their children, Noelle, Andrew and Declan.

To contact Paul email him at Paul_Cooke@brown.edu or call at (401) 863-1097.