We are a student-run organization under the administration of Penn State's Club Sports department. Although we hire professional coaches for instruction, the management of the team is left up to an elected officer board with the assistance of several chairs. The officer and chair positions are listed to the left along with a summary of their responsibilities. The current holders of these positions are below. If you are interested in more information about how the team functions, read our Team's Constitution.
| Position | Current Holder | |
|---|---|---|
| President | Justin Keen | jkk5083@psu.edu |
| Vice-President | Conor Ryan | clr5167@psu.edu |
| Treasurer | Alexis Jordan | arj5079@psu.edu |
| Secretary | Rachel Koppel | rvk5084@psu.edu |
| Equipment Manager | Nick D'Imperio | nrd5064@psu.edu |
| Fundraising | Helen Clay | htc5010@psu.edu |
| Travel Coordinator | Alan D'Achille | amd416@psu.edu |
| Varsity Men Captain | Joe Dodd-O | jbd5126@psu.edu |
| Varsity Men Captain | Jimmy Lynch | jvl5260@psu.edu |
| Varsity Women Captain | Rose Cusamano | rmc5257@psu.edu |
| Varsity Women Captain | Jessie Nendza | jln5157@psu.edu |
| Coxswain Captain | Lee Michael | arm5349@psu.edu |
| Adam D'Abbracci | ajd5341@psu.edu | |
| THON Chairs | Katie Pawelczyk | kmp5360@psu.edu |
| Sam DiMarzio | sxd317@psu.edu | |
| Public Relations Chair | Jill Armington | JCA5102@psu.edu |
| Webmaster | Adam D'Abbracci | ajd5341@psu.edu |
| Social Chair | Jimmy Lynch | jvl5260@psu.edu |
| Pull-For-A-Cure | Tucker Brown | mtb5170@psu.edu |
| Fundraising Chair | Helen Clay | htc5010@psu.edu |
The advent of this equipment and the diligence of our determined athletes enabled us to attend our first competition in April 1996. We attended the Merrill Lynch Collegiate Rowing Championships in Indianapolis, where we joined the remainder of the Big Ten rowing teams in our conference championships. Again using borrowed boats, this time from the Indianapolis Rowing Center, we were fortunate enough to send out two men's 8+'s and one women's 8+ to represent Penn State at this challenging regatta.
For the 1997-98 season, our membership continues to grow and as always, we are attempting to expand our equipment ownership to keep up with the demands our increased growth incurs. Our program successfully maintains male and female competitive programs for novices, lightweights, and heavyweights. While we remain a club program and cannot offer financial aid or acceptance assistance to high school or transfer prospects, we have started to actively recruit students that desire active athletic participation in our chosen sport.
Spring '99 saw me step down as interim coach and return to rowing, while two men familiar with our program stepped up to take on coaching responsibilities. During December and January, a few team members refurbished the pair under the direction of a grad student from Pitt, Joe Cendrowski. We did this work in the basement of the Natatorium. During the months of March and April the team built its own pole-barn, designed by President Bill McLain. This finally gave our boats shelter from the sun and weather.
Our racing schedule was the most ambitious yet, with the Head of the Ohio, Head of the Housatonic, Head of the Connecticut, Head of the Schuylkill, Head of the Charles, and the Bill Braxton Memorial Regatta. We finished out the fall season with our "Silly Sprints/Length of the Lake" scrimmage against Susquehanna University's varsity and novice rowers on our paltry Lake Perez. Within days after the Silly Sprints, the University begins draining Lake Perez for dam repairs. It is expected to be a one to two year project.
That fall also saw the arrival of a large class of about 50 eager novices. With Holly and Jason's help, John conducted weekly practice at Bald Eagle State Park. Unfortunately, this picturesque setting is over 30 minutes away from campus, so only weekend water practices were possible.
Upon returning to State College, the team had to again trek to the Susquehanna River at Shamokin Dam to practice on the weekends. This was due to the seasonal draining of Bald Eagle and the lack of a replenishing spring thaw. In a final team activity, President Emily Burns presided over the naming of the Lightweight racer as she had with the heavy racer the week before. The light racer was named in honor of William R. McClain, former club president, and current rower, equipment manager, and men's captain.
At the Dad Vail Regatta that May, the team produced multiple medal winning boats: bronze in the men’s pair and gold in the women’s varsity 4+. But the women were not yet finished with that season. They packed up immediately and, the next day, received another gold medal at ECAC’s.
After a spring break in which the weather cooperated better than usual, the team entered the racing season right where they left off in the fall with the women’s varsity 4+ and the men’s light 4 leading the charge. As the season moved on the team was saddened to hear the Coach Biddle would not be returning the following year, and that Jamie Francis would take over as head coach. In a tremendous act of generosity, Coach Biddle donated a brand new Resolute 4 to the team, arguably the fastest 4 shell that money can buy. At the Dad Vail Regatta, the team had its sights set high. The women racing in the brand new “Coach’s Legacy” flew through heats and semis of Vails. In Finals they faced stiff competition from multiple crews. The boat finished 2nd, less than 3 tenths of a second off of 1st. The light men saw similar luck finishing 2nd, only 2 seconds behind first in another very close race. Overall, it was a very successful showing, and the team parted with Coach Biddle with 2 sets of silver medals from Vails.Spring 2008 was the beginning of a change in the landscape of collegiate rowing, and Penn State was not immune to the changes.
In the early winter of 2008, it was announced for the first time, there would be a national championship for club rowing programs only. The inaugural ACRA national championship was held in Oklahoma City in late May. After a strong spring that saw the men's and women's varsity 4s make it through to semi-finals at the Dad Vail (the men would make it to the finals), PSU crew took two crews to the ACRA championship. Penn State's men's varsity four won the inaugural title, defeating Vails champion St. Thomas by open water in the final. PSU also earned a silver medal in the novice men's four at the championship.
Fall of 2008 brought even more changes to the landscape of Penn State Rowing. Head Coach Jamie Francis focused his efforts on the varsity women, while Head Novice Coach Pete Rosberg was promoted to varsity men's coach. This brought on a successful fall, featuring a top 5 finish in the varsity men's 8+ at Head of the Schuykill, and medals in the varsity men's 8+ and 4+ at Head of the Occoquan. Two boats were also added to the fleet this winter, a 2006 Hudson 8+ "Mason Gross," and a 2001 Hudson 8+ "The Lee Family." Both are still often used today.
This momentum continued into spring 2009, where for the first time the varsity women prioritized the eight for the entire spring, finishing 10th at the ACRA national championship. The men had a very strong spring of their own, putting a record four boats into the finals at Dad Vail (men's v4, men’s 2-, men's light 8+, men's novice light 8+), including the first ever men's varsity eight of any type to see the finals, as the lightweight men's eight finished 6th. The men's v4, now a two-time Dad Vail finalist, once again went on to avenge their medal-less result at the Dad Vail with gold at ACRA, this time up-ending Vails silver medalist Dayton in the closest finish in ACRA history (.03 seconds), becoming two-time national champions. Spring 2009 also contained the inaugural Neuweiler plate regatta, founded by Lehigh, Franklin and Marshall, Lafayette, and Penn State. It was the beginning of a tradition that still takes place today.
With over 12 seniors graduating the year before, Fall 2009 marked a year of transition for both the men's and women's squads. A shaky start to the season at Head of the Ohio eventually gave way to medals in the Men's v4 and v8 at Head of the Occoquan, the women's v4 at the Bill Braxton regatta, and a top-3 finish for the light men's eight in the coveted Braxton cup. The younger pieces of the team were learning fast, with the excellent guidance of novice coaches Travis Hall and Gwen Sully.
By spring 2010, PSU had a new team with a new attitude. The men saw the lightweight 8+ bring home the West Virginia Governor's Cup, the lightweight men's 4+ bring home a bronze at the national championship, and the men's heavy 2- make an appearance in the finals of the Dad Vail then bring home a bronze at the ACRA. The trend continued on the women's side, as the lightweight 4+ and open 2- made finals at the Dad Vail, finishing fourth and fifth respectively. The pair went on to win PSU's first women's national championship at ACRA.
In fall 2010, for the first time in three seasons, Penn State had its entries accepted on both the men's and women's sides for Head of the Charles regatta: the largest two day regatta in the world. We made the most of it, with strong finishes in the men's collegiate 8+ and women's light 4+. The performance in the men's collegiate 8+ was standout, beating perennial Vails/ACRA powers such as Delaware, North Carolina, and rival Lehigh. During the fall, the team participated in the Frostbite/Braxton regattas in Philadelphia, which saw the men's and women's lightweight fours bring home impressive victories.
During the winter of 2010, Head Coach Jamie Francis accepted a coaching position at Mercyhurst College, leaving Men's head coach Peter Rosberg in charge of the program. Joining him in the spring of 2011 were novice coaches Jason Bourke and Claire Mondro, and joining the staff from MIT was varsity assistant Brian Smith. This also led to changes in the training that included Saturday squash court practices over the winter, full squad daily water practice during the spring, and PSU's first ever appearance at the SIRA regatta in April. The spring racing season had its ups and downs, and after a VERY strong showing at Knecht Cup then disappointing Dad Vail, Penn State rebounded with its biggest and best team showing ever at ACRA. All seven boats entered finished in the top 10 in the largest and fastest National Championship in the history of the event, highlighted by a silver medal in the women's novice 4+.
Fall of 2011 started off with an international feat, as we watched (at practice no less) Penn State Crew alum Natalie Dell capture a silver medal for the US National Team at the World Rowing Championships in Bled, Slovenia. That success would help inspire the current squad to the strongest fall in the history of Penn State Crew. Racing started with a very strong performance at Head of the Ohio, where Penn State earned the collegiate points trophy and several victories throughout the day. Most notably in the men's V8, we edged out Pitt on its home course by less than two tenths of a second. The highlight of the fall however, was the team’s performance at Head of the Charles, where all three boats retained their entry for 2012, highlighted by a top ten finish in the Women's collegiate 4+. Head of the Occoquan brought more of the same strong finishes, as Penn State was once again among the top colleges at the event. We ended up winning medals in eight events, most notably the women's club 8+, the men's collegiate frosh/nov 8+, and the men's collegiate 4+.
Written by Pete Rosberg
February 2012
If you are interested in joining the team during the Fall season, the team will be training on the water more than on land. Generally, when practicing on the water, in the boat, you will need:Mary Beaver White Building - We currently hold all indoor practices in the White Building, where we have access to thirty ergs (rowing machines), plenty of room for body circuits, and a full gym downstairs. We also have a storage room downstairs for much of the team's equipment.
Bald Eagle State Park - Thanks to the Park Rangers, the DEP and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Penn State Crew has a place to row. This park, located about 30 minutes from campus, has a 1,730-acre lake that stretches nearly 8 miles, long enough to accommodate all but the most ambitious workouts in one lap. Most water practices are held here, and our shells are stored here throughout both the fall and spring rowing seasons.
Recreation Hall - Rec Hall, located in the Northwest corner of the campus, is occasionally used in addition to the White Building for morning workout activities (running stairs, circuits, games).
McCoy Natatorium - Penn State Crew and US Rowing require that all rowers pass a swim test. The swim tests are held here each fall & spring prior to team members being allowed to launch in a shell at the lake. A few morning workouts are held at the Nat and also some repair work is done in the basement.
Stone Valley Recreation Area - This facility is owned by Penn State and is considered the home and birthplace of Penn State Crew. We own a poll barn at Stone Valley, where we store our shells and trailer over the summer and winter months. Since the lake has been drained, we no longer practice at this location.
As a member of the Penn State Crew Team, or cult if you will, I routinely face questions from casual skeptics. When a typical student complains about his 8AM class and I mention I have practice on the lake at 5AM, I’ll admit he has a pretty good reason to call me crazy. When I tell my roommate I spend seven hours a day practicing for a club sport and only three hours sleeping, I expect to be labeled insane. The vast majority of the time, it’s easiest to chuckle and casually agree, as justifying myself would require extensive time and effort. Honestly, I often question my own decision to dedicate my life to the team. However, after an intense practice or race, these qualms disappear; after every rower, running on pure adrenaline, commits his mind and body to the consummate team effort required to succeed, the many pains suddenly seem a small price to pay for victory.
In all honesty, 5AM practices suck. There isn’t a man or woman on the team who joyfully rolls out of bed at 4:30, outwardly thankful for physical punishment hours before anybody else on campus considers waking up. Nobody wakes up at the crack of dawn so they can brag about it to other kids, because they seek to impress and satisfy no one but themselves. The serious athletes with an intense drive to succeed believe deep down inside that every 5AM practice, every hour in the gym or on the lake, is an opportunity to improve as an individual and as a team. They realize that every minute of pain and suffering shaves a fraction of an inch off of their race, and that “when we add up all those inches, that's going to make the f***ing difference between winning and losing, between living and dying” (Any Given Sunday).
For fifteen years, this team has fought for that inch. From its first season in 1994 with “28 members and a distinct absence of rowing equipment” (Upson) to the 2008 fall season with over seventy members and a fleet of twelve racing shells (boats), this team has continually won that inch, leading to myriad regional and national victories (Penn State Crew). In the spring, we compete in 2000 meter races, or head-to-head sprints, in Philadelphia, PA; Camden, NJ; and Fairfax, Virginia; among other places. In 2008, our men’s 4+ placed first at ACRA National Championships in Oklahoma City, the pinnacle of the spring season for all club and non-NCAA varsity programs. When fall comes around, we travel to Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and Boston for 5000 meter head races, where boats start every few seconds and race against the clock. Recently, our men's novice 4+, consisting of first-year rowers, took first at the Head of the Occoquan in Virginia. Men's varsity coach Pete Rosberg noted that overall Penn State boats “‘were pretty dominant in the college scene’” (Angert). Furthermore, both 4+ boats are returning in the spring and plan to represent Penn State on a national level.
Until then, the battle for that inch will be fought on ergometers, the indoor rowing machines where we spend our 6AM winter morning practices. It takes an entirely different level of determination to “erg” a 2k on a cold winter morning in the White Building than to sprint a 2k on the water in the spring. At the same time, the satisfaction from pushing your physical and mental limits with no water in sight can be greater. For those with the tenacity to stick with the sport, indoor training turns into a vicious cycle. They develop an intense hatred of the “ergs” but also an intense addiction to them, to testing and expanding their limits every day.
This intense dedication to training pays off in the spring, when the lake thaws and we can return to our boats on weekday and Saturday mornings. Although we store our trailer and boats at Stone Valley lake, we keep them at Bald Eagle State Park, where we train, during the season. After working out on ergs for four months, we rejoice being back- feeling the boat moving, gliding across the water. I have seen few things in life more beautiful than a unified crew skimming over the glassy lake glowing with the reflection of the setting sun, few things more inspiring than young athletes joining passionately together for a common cause.
At the end of the day, it is this passion that drives the crew team, pushes the rowers individually and collectively through brutal workouts and agonizing races. We torture ourselves on the ergs, the weight benches, and the boats because that’s what it takes to succeed. I can push myself further with my team than I could ever go by myself because when I look into the eyes of the man next to me, I know that he will match my commitment and intensity, that whatever happens he will go the distance with me. That’s what a team is. As graduate Lauren Viscount realized early in her career, “‘It’s hard to find a group of people like the crew team with such an amazing camaraderie’” (Freiss).
Every rower has pride in himself and what he pushes himself through, but it is pride in his team that truly keeps him going. For those unfortunate people who have never experienced the commitment and harmony of a united team, 5AM practices may seem extreme or downright ridiculous. I can talk all day about the internal and external rewards of rowing on the crew team, and you can nod your head and agree, but you can never truly feel my feel my message until you go the distance yourself. When you come to your first practice, you may feel like killing the coaches who planned the workouts, but when the day comes to an end you will find yourself wanting more. Furthermore, since “most high school students don’t participate in crew, you don’t need to have any previous experience” to get caught in the action (Bueter). You will soon find yourself addicted to the pain, to the camaraderie, to the pure passion flowing in the veins of every dedicated rower, and pretty soon you will gladly let crew drive your life. I leave you with a message from the entire team, an embodiment of the commitment to excellence we share day in and day out:
I ROW FOR PENN STATE
I ROW WITH HEART
WITH PRIDE
TO WIN
FOR THE FIRST CATCH
AND THE LAST FINISH
FOR MY FAMILY
FOR MY TEAMMATES
MY BOAT
I ROW FOR THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE ME
AND FOR THOSE WHO WILL COME AFTER ME
I ROW FOR THE FEELING AS I CROSS THE FINISH LINE
FOR THE GLORY OF OLD STATE
I ROW FOR PENN STATE
Please report any problems to mjpiarulli@gmail.com.
Feel free to contact any captains, chairs, or officers with any questions!