Since 1864
Rutgers Crew
History
A Rutgers Tradition Since 1864
In 1864, rowing became the first organized sport at Rutgers. Six mile races were held on the Raritan River among six-oared boats. In 1870, Rutgers held its first intercollegiate competition, against the Lawrence Scientific School of Harvard, the then top-ranked amateur crew of the time. In 1876, a new floating boathouse was built for the team adjacent the Albany Street Bridge in New Brunswick, but was washed during a flood in 1882.
The Class of 1914 Boathouse was built in 1950 and is located at the New Brunswick campus on the Raritan River. The boathouse consists of three bays, home and away locker rooms, a training room, and coaches offices. In 2010 the Class of 1914 Boathouse underwent extensive remodeling updating the facilities and aesthetics of the historic structure. The Raritan River is an idyllic collegiate rowing venue running right through the middle of Rutgers' campus. In addition the Raritan provides endless miles of protected water without other boat traffic, making it one of the best training locations in the country.
Since the start in 1864, Rutgers has built a strong crew program consisting of heavyweight and lightweight men. As part of the Eastern Association of Rowing Colleges, Rutgers competes against the best crews in the country. The pinnacle of the season is racing at the EARC Sprint Championships, the most prestigious collegiate race in the East.
In 1952, two Rutgers oarsmen, senior Chuck Logg and freshman Tom Price, set out on their quest for Olympic Gold. The duo trained together for only three months before entering the Olympic Trails, but against all odds won the qualification regatta to represent the United States at the Olympic Games that year in Helsinki. With their appropriately named shell, "Cinderella", the Rutgers pair realized their dream winning Olympic Gold in convincing fashion, besting the field by nearly 3 seconds in the final.
The lightweight men’s crew has had success winning several medals at the Eastern Sprints throughout the years. In 1984 and 2000, the lightweights competed at the Henley Royal Regatta in England. In 2000, the crew went as far as the semi-finals at the Henley.
In 2003, the Rutgers Heavyweight Men advanced to the Final of the Henley Royal Regatta. In their race to the Final, the varsity defeated crews from Dartmouth and the Leander Club of London. In 2005, the Heavyweight Men’s Four was silver medalists at the IRA Championship Regatta.
Chuck Logg and Tom Price - 1952 Olympic Pair Champions
RUTGERS ON THE OLYMPIC AND NATIONAL TEAM
Rutgers has produced some outstanding rowers in its history, many of whom have gone on to illustrious careers for the US National and Olympic teams. Six Rutgers alumni found their way onto the U.S. Olympic Rowing Team for the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.
NED DELGUERCIO '05
DelGuercio, a US National Team athlete from 2005 to 2012, made several appearances at World Championships. He coxed the mens 4+ to a gold medal at the 2007 World Championships and the lightweight men's 8+ to gold at the 2008 World Championships. While at Rutgers, Ned was the captain of the crew as a senior in 2005 and made the Final at the Royal Henley Regatta in 2003.
SAM STITT '04
Stitt, a first-time National Team member in 2005, won the double scull event at the U.S. National Selection Regatta. He went on to compete in the double at the 2005 World Championships in Gifu, Japan. He finished 5th in the men's quadruple sculls at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Sam’s collegiate rowing career was highlighted by making the Final at the Royal Henley Regatta in 2003.
MAITE URTASUN '01
Maite won the 2002 World Championships as a member of the U.S. Women’s Eight. She began her elite rowing career while still an undergraduate at Rutgers, winning a Bronze medal in the straight four at the 1999 World Championships. Maite made six consecutive National Teams from 1999 to 2004, culminating with an Olympic appearance in Athens, Greece. As stroke of the Rutgers 2001 Varsity Eight, she led the Knights to their third NCAA qualification.
JENNIFER DORE-TERHAAR '93
A ten-time National Team member and two-time Olympian, Jen earned numerous distinctions as a world class athlete. In addition to rowing in the Quad in the 1996 and 2000 Olympics, she won silver medals in the Eight at the 1993 and 1994 World Rowing Championships and stroked the U.S. Gold Medal Eight in 1995. Jen returned to elite rowing in 2003 to once again represent the U.S. at the World Championships in the Women’s Eight.
DAVID COLLINS '91
David Collins was a member of the Lightweight Men’s Coxless Four. Dave became the only Rutgers oarsman to earn an Olympic medal in Atlanta, when his four won the bronze medal. Dave was a five-time national team member. At Rutgers, Dave was a member of the Lightweight Team, but won the IRA Championship in the open pair.
JIM NEIL '90
Jim Neil is a fifteen-time National Team member, including two Olympic and two Pan-American teams. Historically, Neil’s national team tenure as an athlete is one shared by only two other American rowers. Neil has competed in every sweep discipline, earning gold, silver and bronze medals at World and Pan-Am competitions, and placing 4th in the 4+ at the 1992 Olympics. In 2000, Neil switched disciplines and placed 3rd in the 1x at the Olympic Trials. As a senior at Rutgers in 1990, Neil was named co-Captain and co-MVP of the team.
TOM TERHAAR '90
In 2004, Tom Terhaar coached the U.S. women's eight to a world record in the heat and a silver medal at the Olympic Games. It was the first time the U.S. had won an Olympic medal in the event since 1984. In 2008 and 2012, Terhaar again coached the U.S. Women's Eight, this time to consecutive Olympic Gold Medals in world record time. Terhaar was named head women’s coach in 2001. In just his second year as women’s head coach, he coached the women’s eight to a gold medal at the 2002 FISA World Championships in Seville, Spain. In 2003, his women’s four won the gold medal. In 2000, he coached the women’s quadruple sculls to fifth place at the Olympics in Sydney, Australia. In 1998, he was named the USOC’s 1998 Developmental Coach of the Year for the sport of rowing.
JEFFREY KLEPACKI '90
Jeff Klepacki was also a member of the Men’s Eight in Sydney and three-time Olympian. Klepacki was named the 1994 US Rowing Male Athlete of the Year after stroking the US Men’s Eight to a gold medal at the World Championships. At Rutgers, he was the captain of the crew team and named MVP in 1990, while earning a degree in economics.
WILLIAM PORTER '89
Will Porter was a three time national team member and a Pan-American Games Gold Medalist. Porter is currently the Head Women's Coach at Yale University.
SEAN HALL '89
Sean Hall was a member of the Men’s Quadruple Sculls for the Sydney Olympics. He is a nine-time national team member and three-time Olympian. Hall was a member of the men’s eight that won the 1994 World Championships. Sean graduated from Rutgers with a degree in Political Science.
ROBERT KAEHLER '86
Bob Kaehler earned his way into the Gold-Medal favored Men’s Eight, which has won an unprecedented three World Championships in a row leading up to the Olympic Games in Sydney. Kaehler is a ten-time national team member and three-time Olympian. He has won four World Championship gold medals in the men’s eight, the most ever by an American. He was also named US Rowing’s Male Athlete of the Year in 1998. At Rutgers, Kaehler graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry.
CHARLIE BUTT '83
Charlie Butt was named to the 2000 Olympic coaching staff and coached the Men’s Lightweight Double Sculls. As an athlete himself, he made several Lightweight National Teams. Butt is currently the Head Coach of the Heavyweight Men at Harvard University.
FRED BORCHELT '76
Fred Borchelt is a three-time Olympian (‘76, ‘80, ‘84), winning a silver medal in the men’s eight at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
TOM PRICE '55
Tom Price was only a Rutgers freshman when he won the gold medal at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. Price and Logg shocked the country and the world with their win at the US trials and then the Olympics. It was fitting that their pair-oared shell was named “Cinderella” before their gold-medal run.
CHARLES LOGG '52
Chuck Logg was a member of the only US pairs without coxswain crew to win an Olympic gold medal. Chuck, son of the Rutgers crew coach, was paired up with Tom Price, a Scarlet Knight teammate of his, to win the gold at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics.
First Rutgers Crew 1864