History
The Early Years...
Crew at Seattle University was organized in 1965 by Olympic silver-medalist Jim Gardiner and Charles McIntyre. With the student leadership of Co-Presidents Joseph Howard and Harry Fowler, VP Jim Swain, Secretary Paul Bader, and Treasurer Bob Pigott, the Seattle University Crew Association was formed. Jim Gardiner and Charles McIntyre coached the club for the first number of years, with coaches gradually coming from the program itself and elsewhere. After overwhelming support and a unanimous vote in 1967, ASSU directed the Athletic Department to make Crew a varsity sport at SU. Following a presentation to the Athletic Advisory Board a few months later, the student-athletes of crew began receiving varsity letters, while retaining the original club's leadership structure. The varsity status of the program disappeared along with the program itself in the mid to late 1970s. During this time, ASSU and the Seattle University Crew Association largely financially supported the program, with some assistance coming from the outside support and the Athletic Department.
The program continued to thrive into the 1970s, though with an apparent year of inactivity in 1975. 1976 saw the team return, but records are lacking for any year beyond 1976.
Rowing at Seattle University was resurrected as a fully non-Athletic Department sport in 1989 and 1990, respectively. According to at least one source, the women's team began the year before the men's team. The early to mid 1990s saw SU Crew as a strong program in the Northwest, with a men’s lightweight boat that beat the UW.
Since then, membership has fluctuated, but the program has continued to exist under the guidance of Coach Chris Mueller, who was a member of the phoenix program of the early 1990s. Throughout his years as assistant and Head Coach, he has worked tirelessly to instill in the rowers a sense of ownership in the program and its future. He believes that the rowers are the ones who should run the program in all aspects of its functioning, and has always striven to empower the rowers to do just that. It is because of this belief in the rowers that the program has fluctuated, as he has never been forceful or autocratic, as would be a head coach of a differently structured collegiate rowing program. However, this same belief has set the stage for a more mature and professional leadership tradition.
It is because of Chris Mueller’s guidance, and that of equally empowering Women’s Coach Susan Tribe, that the program now has the momentum to carry itself. It is also because of this that Chris feels he can leave the coaching staff of Seattle University Crew, and leave it in good hands – the hands of the students leading the program.
Currently a new generation of coaches is working with the team, and the officers are hard at work planning and implementing a surge of new initiatives.
This is a work in progress. If you were on the team, we want to know more, so please go to the Alumni page and leave us your story and contact info!
