Navy Lightweight Rowing History
In 1919 Navy rowed in the first men’s lightweight rowing event in America. Navy’s oarsmen were men from the heavyweight crew that could make weight. Information about that event is available here.
From 1919—1953 Navy would compete in lightweight events from time to time but always with lighter oarsmen from the heavyweight program.
In the spring of 1954, LT Buck Herzog ‘46, USN, who was an assistant to Navy Heavyweight Head Coach, Rusty Callow, got an okay from Rusty to enter a lightweight boat in the EARC. The boat didn’t have long to practice. There were no JV or Plebe crews. The varsity rowed one race.
But, the crew that rowed in the 1954 Eastern Association of Rowing Colleges Championship Regatta (Eastern Sprints) was the genesis of Navy lightweight crew as a distinct and separate sport from Navy’s heavyweight crew. Information about the first Navy Lightweight crew is available here.
Following are Navy lightweight rowing highlight summaries throughout the decades.
1919
On Saturday, 31 May 1919, Navy and Penn race in the first American men’s lightweight rowing event at the Fifteenth Annual Regatta of the American Rowing Association on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Rowed over the Henley distance (1-5/16 miles), Navy won this inaugural 150-pound event by rowing in at 7:09.8 and Penn at 7:14.0.
1920s – 1930s
The source of the following Navy Lightweight Crew timeline from 1920 through 2001 is from Dale P. Hurly, Jr. ’89 and Christopher L. (Kit) Vallhonrat ’93.
1920 On Saturday, 29 May 1920, Navy and Penn meet in men’s lightweight rowing competition again but this time joined by Princeton and Yale at the Sixteenth Annual Regatta of the American Rowing Association on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Penn rowed to victory on the day with the order of finish as Penn-Princeton-Yale-Navy.
1931 Navy wins their dual with Syracuse; lose a dual race to Penn; and then place third at the National Henley Regatta in Philadelphia, Pa.
1933 Navy wins their only dual with MIT and then go on to take third place at the National Henley Regatta in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania behind Princeton and Columbia.
1934 Navy wins their only dual race with Columbia.
1935 Navy wins their dual with Ithaca College. Navy then finishes a close fourth at the American Henley Regatta in Philadelphia behind Princeton, Penn, and Columbia.
1950s
1954 Navy Assistant Heavyweight Crew Coach Buck Herzog ‘46 put together a Navy lightweight eight to compete in the 1954 EARC Championships, Three qualifying heats were held on the morning of 15 May. The winner of each of the three heats and the team with the second best time qualified for the championship final. Navy was entered in the second qualifying heat with MIT and Dartmouth, and the results were: MIT – 7:22.7, Navy – 7:32.5, Dartmouth – 7:44.0. Navy did not qualify for the final; however, on 15 May 1954 that crew was the genesis of Navy lightweight crew as a distinct and separate sport from Navy’s heavyweight crew.
1956 Navy JV wins bronze medal at the EARC Sprints.
1957 Navy, coached by Hubbell Davidson ’45, win both duals with Penn and MIT and lose to Princeton. Navy then goes on to place fifth at the EARC Championships. JV crew and Plebe first boat win the EARC Sprints. The Sprints were held on the Severn River in Annapolis, Maryland.
1958 Navy JV wins bronze medal at the EARC Sprints.
1960s
1960 Navy varsity and JV crews each win silver medals at the EARC Sprints.
1961 Navy varsity wins bronze medal and JV crew wins gold at the EARC Sprints.
1962 Navy lightweights, coached by LT Bob White, USN, go through an undefeated season to win their first EARC Lightweight Championship in the history of Navy crew.
1969 Navy JV crew wins bronze medal at the EARC Sprints.
1970s
1970 Navy JV and first Plebe boat each win bronze medals at the EARC Sprints. Navy finishes third in Jope Cup team points standing for EARC League.
1971 Navy JV wins silver medal at EARC Sprints. Navy finishes third in Jope Cup standings.
1972 Navy varsity and JV crews win bronze medals at the EARC Sprints. Navy finishes third in Jope Cup.
1974 Navy JV wins bronze medal at the EARC Sprints.
1975 Navy varsity wins silver medal and JV wins bronze medal at the EARC Sprints and Navy places second in Jope Cup.
1976 Navy JV wins silver medal at the EARC Sprints.
1977 Navy varsity wins silver medal at the EARC Sprints.
1978 Navy first Plebe boat wins silver medal at the EARC Sprints.
1979 Navy JV boat wins silver medal at the EARC Sprints.
1980s
1980 Navy JV boat wins bronze medal and first Plebe boat wins gold at the EARC Sprints.
1981 Navy places second at the Head of the Charles, losing only to the Canadian National Team. They go on to the San Diego Crew Classic for the first time and take fourth place in the grand finals. Wins both the Haines Cup and the Callow Cup and take fifth place at the EARC Sprints.
1986 Navy has a 4-2 record and wins the Callow Cup (Penn) enroute to a sixth-place finish at the EARC Sprints.
1987 Patrick Manion takes over as head coach Navy lightweight crew. First Plebe boat wins bronze medal at the EARC Sprints.
1990s
1991 Mike Hughes takes over as head coach of Navy lightweight crew.
1993 Navy wins the Crawford Bay Crew Classic and goes 5-2 enroute to taking seventh place at the EARC Sprints.
1995 CDR Jim Snead ‘73, takes over as head coach. Third varsity wins gold medal at the EARC Sprints (varsity) and competes in the IRAs for the first time, taking fifth place in the Grand Finals.
1996 Major Greg Morrison ‘77, takes over as head coach. Navy has a 2-2 record and places fifth in the IRA grand finals.
1997 Dale Hurley ’89, takes over as head coach of Navy lightweight crew.
1998 Plebes place first and second at the Belly of the Carnegie.
1999 Navy wins the Patriot League Championship. Plebes finish in fifth place in the first boat and win gold in the second boat at the EARC Sprints.
2000-2001
2000 Navy competes in the San Diego Crew Classic for the second time in the history of the program and finishes third in grand finals. Plebes capture the top-two slots at the Belly of the Carnegie. Varsity secures an automatic bid for 2001 Head of the Charles by placing fifth overall and fourth among colleges at 2000 regatta.
2001 Navy placed fifth at the season-ending IRA National Championship Regatta. At the end of the spring season Rob Friedrich replaces Dale Hurley as head coach.
To view post-2001 history and timeline go to the current Media Guide at the Navy Lightweight Rowing website.