Rowing Club
Grand Valley Rowing
Building Champions Since 1964
Contact
Kyle Barnhart - Head Coach
[email protected]
Ellie Mulder - Club President
[email protected]
About GVSU Rowing
Grand Valley consistently ranks among the best rowing teams in the country. GVSU crews have won more than 25 national championships finished on the podium 57 times in the last 20 years.
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.
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.
Fall 2026 Recruiting Events
Campus Life Night
Sunday, August 30
6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Lot H
Look for the oars!
Info Meeting
Sunday, August 30
8:15 p.m.
Kirkhof Center Room 2215/2216
Open Boathouse
Monday, August 31
4:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Meet at Kleiner to walk - look for the oars!
Groups depart every 30 minutes starting at 4:00
Club Sports Showcase
Tuesday, September 1
7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Rec Center Courtyard
Open Boathouse
Wednesday, September 2
4:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Meet at Kleiner to walk - look for the oars!
Groups depart every 30 minutes starting at 4:00
S'Mores & Oars
Tuesday, September 8
7:30 - 8:30 p.m.
HHLC Firepit
Info Meeting & Meet the Team
Fall 2026
October 3: Homecoming Celebration (GVSU Boathouse)
October 10: Michigan State Scrimmage (Lansing, MI)
October 16-18: Head of the Charles Regatta (Boston, MA) *varsity fours only
October 30-31: Music City Head Race (Nashville, TN)
November 7: Bald Eagle Collegiate Invitational (Indianapolis, IN)
Spring 2027
March 6-13: Spring Break Training Camp (Clemson, SC)
March 24: TBD
April 3: Lubbers Cup Regatta (Grand Rapids, MI)
April 18: TBD
May 2: MACRA Championship Regatta (Indianapolis, IN)
May 21-23: ACRA National Championship Regatta (Oak Ridge, TN)
Established as Grand Valley's first competitive sport in 1964, rowing has a longstanding tradition of athletic and academic excellence.
The Laker Navy has amassed 25 national championships, 57 podium finishes, and six team point titles since 2008.
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.
GVSU Rowing 60th Anniversary Video
2026 - Men's 2-
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+
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
ACRA Hall of Fame:
- Olympian Sarah (Zelenka) McIlduff '09 - Inducted 2025
- Former Head Coach John Bancheri - Inducted 2025
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.
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+
- 1964 - Rowing becomes Grand Valley's first varsity sport.
- 1974 - Boathouse opens on campus on the Grand River.
- 1981 - Rowing moves from varsity to club status.
- 1995 - First Lubbers Cup Regatta takes place at Riverside Park in Grand Rapids.
- 1995 - Rowing earns first medal at the Dad Vail Championship Regatta.
- 1996 - Rowing travels to the Henley Royal Regatta in England for the first time.
- 1997 - Paul Springer, head coach 1970-1981, is inducted into the Laker Athletics Hall of Fame.
- 2006 - Indoor training center opens on Lake Michigan Drive.
- 2008 - GVSU wins the first team points title at the inaugural ACRA National Championship
- 2012 - Alumna Sarah Zelenka McIlduff finishes fourth at the London Olympics.
- 2025 - Alumna Sarah Zelenka McIlduff and former head coach John Bancheri are inducted into the ACRA Hall of Fame.
News
April 2026
September 2024
October 2023
October 2023