Mike Alton began his tenure as as the head coach of the Hobart crew team in January of 2006.

Alton came to Hobart following five very successful seasons as the head coach of the Vassar College men’s and women’s crew teams. The Brewer women finished two of his final three seasons ranked in the College Rowing Coaches Association Division III top-10, climbing as high as No. 7 in 2003. That year, Vassar earned a spot in the grand finals of the New York State Championships for the first time and later qualified three boats for the ECAC Championships, also a first. A year later, the Brewers made their first appearance in the grand finals of the ECAC Championship. In 2001, Alton guided the men’s varsity four to a silver medal in the New York State Championships and a bronze medal in the ECAC Championships.

Alton was also an assistant professor of physical education at Vassar.

Prior to his time in Poughkeepsie, Alton spent three seasons as an assistant coach with the Drexel University men’s and women’s crew teams, working primarily with the varsity women. Under Alton’s guidance, the Dragons took first place at the Occoquan Sprints, the Marietta Invitational and the Mid-Atlantic Championship. In 1999, his women’s varsity eight made the grand final of the Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) Championship regatta.

Alton’s coaching career began as a graduate student at Wichita State University in 1993. He served one year as the Shockers’ assistant women’s rowing coach before he was promoted to head coach the following year. While completing his master’s degree in exercise physiology, he led the varsity eight to a win at the Kansas state championships and back-to-back appearances in the grand finals of the Dad Vail regatta, earning a bronze medal in 1994 with the second varsity eight and a fifth place finish in 1995 with the varsity eight.

As a scholarship rower at Temple University, Alton’s boat won three Dad Vail titles and competed in the Henley Royal Regatta in England. He was the Owls’ Rookie of the Year in 1989 and later earned the team’s Coaches Award. Alton graduated from the Philadelphia institution with a bachelor’s degree in physical education in 1992.

Alton earned Level III coaching certification from the U.S. Rowing Association in 2000 and is also an American Association of Aerobic Instructors/International Sports Medicine Association certified personal fitness trainer. He and his wife, Stephanie, are the parents of two daughters, Danielle and Alexandria.