GV rowing team celebrates sixtieth anniversary - Grand Valley Lanthorn
GV rowing team celebrates their sixtieth anniversary, an article posted by the Grand Valley Lanthorn.
Sep 19, 2024
Rowing Club
GVSU Rowing
Established as Grand Valley's first competitive sport in 1964, rowing has a longstanding tradition tradition of athletic and academic excellence.
Kyle Barnhart - Head Coach
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Reece Thurston - Club President
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GVSU Rowing 60th Anniversary Video
Join the GVSU Rowing Team
Building Champions Since 1964
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Grand Valley consistently ranks among the best rowing teams in the country. GVSU crews have won more than 25 national championships and the team has won six team points national titles.
Rowing at GVSU is a great opportunity to extend a competitive athletic career beyond high school. Our team consists of athletes who rowed in high school as well as those with no prior experience. Athletes who excel in endurance or team sports in high school can easily transfer their athleticism to rowing. The best rowers are those who are willing to work hard and crave competition.
Practices take place in the evenings after classes. In the fall, we attend three to four head (distance) races and in the spring we attend four to five sprint races across the country. As a first year rower, you will be competing against other first year rowers.
Year at a Glance:
- Fall - Introduction to the team and rowing at GVSU. Fall training and competitions across the Midwest.
- Winter - Indoor training at our dedicated facility in preparation for spring championship races.
- Spring Break - Training trip to a southern destination.
- Spring - Competitions around the country on weekends in March, April and May, culminating at the ACRA National Championship.
Interested athletes can complete the recruiting form to receive more information.
Team Schedule
Spring 2025
March 1-8: Spring Break Training Camp (Clemson, SC)
March 29: Percy Priest Sprints (Nashville, TN)
April 5: Lubbers Cup Regatta (Grand Rapids, MI)
April 12: Michigan State Scrimmage (Lansing, MI)
April 27: MACRA Championship Regatta (Indianapolis, IN)
May 3: Team Banquet (GVSU Alumni House)
May 16-18: ACRA National Championship Regatta (Oak Ridge, TN)
Fall 2024
September 7: 60th Anniversary Events
September 21: Family Day (GVSU Boathouse)
October 5: Head of the Grand (Lansing, MI)
October 13: Head of the Rock (Rockford, IL)
October 18-20: Head of the Charles (Boston, MA) *varsity fours only
November 3: Bald Eagle Collegiate Invitational (Indianapolis, IN)
Team History
Established in 1964 as Grand Valley's first sport, rowing has been a strong tradition for more than 60 years and has a long history of success.
Grand Valley Rowing challenges its student-athletes to reach the highest level to which they aspire both academically and athletically while continuing to build and sustain a nationally competitive intercollegiate rowing program.
ACRA National Championships Titles
2025 - Women's Novice 8+
2022 - Women's Varsity 8+
2022 - Women's JV 8+
2019 - Women's Novice 8+
2019 - Women's Varsity 4+
2018 - Women's 2-
2015 - Women's Varsity 8+
2014 - Women's Team Points National Champions
2014 - Women's Varsity 8+
2014 - Women's JV 8+
2014 - Women's Varsity 4+
2013 - Overall Team Points National Champions
2013 - Women's Team Points National Champions
2013 - Women's Varsity 8+
2013 - Women's JV 8+
2013 - Women's Novice 8+
2012 - Overall Team Points National Champions
2012 - Women's Team Points National Champions
2012 - Women's Varsity 8+
2012 - Women's Novice 8+
2011 - Overall Team Points National Champions
2011 - Women's Team Points National Champions
2011 - Women's JV 8+
2011 - Women's Novice 8+
2010 - Overall Team Points National Champions
2010 - Women's Team Points National Champions
2010 - Women's Varsity 4+
2010 - Women's Novice 8+
2010 - Women's 1x
2009 - Overall Team Points National Champions
2009 - Women's Team Points National Champions
2009 - Women's JV 8+
2009 - Women's Varsity 8+
2008 - Overall Team Points National Champions
2008 - Men's Lightweight 4+
2008 - Women's JV 8+
ACRA Honors
American Collegiate Rowing Association (ACRA) Awards:
90 All-American Honors, including:
- 40 athletes named First Team All-American
- 19 athletes named Second Team All-American
- 10 athletes named Third Team All-American
- 21 athletes named Freshman All-American
104 Academic All-American Awards
7 Coach of the Year awards
GVSU Rowing is a founding member of the American Collegiate Rowing Association (ACRA) which began holding the club national championship regatta in 2008. In 2022, ACRA named the team points trophy for former GVSU head coach John Bancheri who helped launch ACRA and led the Lakers to the first six ACRA team titles.
Alumnae and Olympian Sarah (Zelenka) McIlduff '09 and former head coach John Bancheri were inducted into the American Collegiate Rowing Association Hall of Fame in 2025.
Dad Vail Championship Titles
2022 - Women's JV 8+
2013 - Women's Team Points Champions
2013 - Women's Varsity 8+
2013 - Women's Novice 8+
2010 - Men's Varsity 4+
2009 - Women's Varsity 8+
2008 - Men's JV 8+
2008 - Women's Novice 8+
Dues Payment
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