Wisconsin Badgers Crew

The Wisconsin Badgers Crew is the rowing team that represents the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Rowing is the oldest organized sport at the University, dating back to 1874.

Although the men's and women's teams are NCAA Division I teams, the NCAA does not sanction a men's National Championship. The men's head coach since 1996 is Chris Clark.

History

The first crew is thought to have set out on Lake Mendota in 1874, though the only evidence of this is a letter written in 1912 by a Wisconsin alumnus. By 1878 rowing had become an intramural sport at the University. The first National Championship won by Wisconsin was in 1900 by the Men's Freshman Eight team. The Wisconsin Crew has won 48 Intercollegiate Rowing Association titles since then.

The Men's Varsity Eight won their first National Championship title in 1951, the first of eight such titles. One came in 1990. This win brought an invite to the Henley Royal Regatta, the fourth visit for Wisconsin. The Badgers recently won the 2008 Intercollegiate Rowing Association Title over second-place University of Washington.

Wisconsin's women first began actively competing in the early 1970s, and at that time, the National Women’s Rowing Association Championship served as the National Championships for collegiate boats. The Women's Varsity Eight won the club title outright in 1975, and was the highest placed collegiate boat in 1976, 1977, and 1978. In 1986, the Wisconsin women won the National Collegiate Championship which first began in 1981.

Location

The Wisconsin crew's boathouse is located on Lake Mendota in Madison, Wisconsin. Porter Boathouse is convert|50000|sqft|m2|-3 and was completed early spring 2005. It includes a moving water rowing tank for 24, five boat bays, including one repair bay, coaches offices, and locker rooms for three teams.

Men's Varsity Coaches

*Amos W. Marston - 1894
*Andrew M. O'Dea - 1895-1898
*Curran C. McConville - 1899
*Andrew M. O'Dea - 1900-1906
*Edward H. Ten Eyck - 1907-1910
*Harry E. "Dad" Vail - 1911-1928
*George W. "Mike" Murphy - 1929-1934
*Ralph Hunn - 1935-1940
*Allen W. Walz - 1941-1942
*George A. Rea - 1943
*Curt P. Drewes - 1944-1945
*Allen W. Walz - 1946
*Norm Sonju - 1947-1968
*Randal T. "Jabo" Jablonic - 1969-1995
*Chris H. Clark - 1996-present

National Championships

Men's Varsity Eight

1951, 1959, 1966, 1973, 1975, 1986, 1990, 2008

Men's Second Varsity Eight

1973, 1986

Men's Freshman Eight

1900, 1907, 1964, 1972, 1973, 1979, 1983, 1985

Women's Varsity Eight

1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1986

Women's Lightweight Eight

2004, 2005, 2006, 2008

Regatta Wins of Note

NCAA South/Central Regionals

*Womens's Novice 8 - 2008

Big Ten Championship

*Women's Second Varsity Eight - 2008
*Women's 1st Novice Eight - 2008
*Women's 2nd Novice Eight - 2008

Eastern Sprints

*Men's Freshman Eight - 2000
*Men's Second Freshman Eight - 2000
*Men's Varsity Eight - 1946, 2002, 2008
*Men's Second Varsity Eight - 1987, 2001, 2007, 2008
*Men's Third Varsity Eight - 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006

=Head of the Charles=

*Women's Club Fours - 1998
*Women's Youth Fours - 1992
*Women's Lightweight Eight - 2000, 2001
*Men's Championship Eight - 1966, 1972, 1973, 2007
*Women's Championship Eight - 1977, 1978, 1979, 1988

Midwest Rowing Championship

*Men's Varsity Eight - 1973-1980, 1983-2006

American Heritage Regatta

*Men's Collegiate Eight - 2007
*Men's Novice Eight - 2007
*Men's Novice Four w/ - 2007

Cups and Trophies Won

Cochrane Cup

1963, 1964, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1973-1977, 1980, 1981, 1984-1991, 1996, 1998-2000, 2002, 2008

Walsh Cup

1967-1969, 1985-1989, 1997-2002, 2008

Ten Eyck Trophy

1972-1975, 1979, 1980, 1986-1988, 1997, 1999-2002

External links

* [http://www.wiscorowinghistory.org WiscoRowingHistory.org] — Wisconsin Rowing History
* [http://www.uwbadgers.com/sport_news/mcrw/headlines/headlines.html?sportid=117 UWBadgers.com] — UW Men's Crew Official Site