History of Bucknell Crew

The Bucknell University crew program was firmly established in the early 1980's, yet Bucknell's crew history goes back to 1873 when the first crew club was founded by David Jane Hill. Hill would later become President of the University. This first venture in rowing was unsuccessful as the team was forced to dissolve after two years because the river depth near Bucknell is too shallow. Revived by Randy Leavitt in 1982, the Bucknell crew program found a suitable spot for rowing down river near the city of Sunbury . The opportunity to row in this area was due to the support of Tedd Skotedis and his family. Through the generous support of Mr. Skotedis Bucknell crew enjoys the use of the Northumberland Boat Club's waterfront.

The early crew's the 1980's were co-ed and the crew club was organized and managed by the athletes. The Skotedis family again generously supported the first crews this time through the leadership and coaching of Tedd's son, John. John Skotedis was the first coach of Bucknell crew and guided the program through its formative years.

In the fall of 1990 the crew clubs were incorporated into the athletic department and became full varsity programs. A year later the Men's Lightweight 8 earned the first medal for Bucknell at the Dad Vail Championships. Since then, it has achieved success in the men's open four (Dad Vail silver and bronze), the men's novice lightweight eight (Dad Vail silver), and the men's pair earned a silver at the Dad Vail. That crew went on to win petite finals at IRAs finishing 7 th in the country. The lightweight men also earned gold and silver medals at the now defunct Champion Regatta.

When Stephen Kish was named head coach in 1996, the program underwent a number of important changes. Coach Kish introduced three home events to the schedule and initiated a winter training trip, improving the level of competition for the team without jeopardizing time needed for academic excellence. Coach Kish led boats to bronze, silver and gold medals at the Dad Vail Regatta as well as silver medals at the Champion Regatta. Through his efforts the program grew with the construction of a boathouse, he increased the teams racing equipment, and he was able to add additional coaches to the staff. Through his efforts Coach Kish created an ever-increasing number of opportunities for Bucknell student-athletes to develop as athletes and as leaders. Coach Kish is now the Head Coach of Womens Rowing at Bucknell.

In 2002, mens crew was reclassified as a club-varsity program in response to the University's commitment to achieving gender equity requirements in athletics. Longtime volunteer assistant Derek Updegraff was named the new head coach of mens crew. Under Derek's guidance and with the help of committed alumni and team members, the mens program had an extremely successful inaugural season, capturing Mid-Atlantic regional championships in the varsity lightweight 8 and novice 8. Coach Updegraff led the team through the spring of 2005 before accepting the head coaching position at the Univeristy of California – Santa Barbara .

The 2005-2006 season began under the leadership of newly named Head Coach, Paul Bugenhagen. Coach Bugenhagen is quoted saying "My immediate goal is to get the word out that there's something special happening in Lewisburg, the culture of our rowing team is evolving and developing some of the same characteristics and tendencies that all great programs possess," Bugenhagen said. "There's enthusiasm for the training program and towards the process of becoming champions, as well as the development of real courage and toughness when it comes to overcoming all the obstacles that exist when you're trying to own the dream." With this kind of culture Bucknell Mens Crew has a bright future and is poised to take its place amoung the best programs in the Dad Vail and ECAC.

Fall Rowing

Racing
Bucknell's Fall Invitational is the perfect beginning for any rower. This fall invitational provides the novice rower at Bucknell with their first collegiate racing experience - at home, where the familiar setting allows the rowers and coxswains to focus on rowing rather than a new course. Held only 9 miles off campus, the Fall Invite also allows novice rowers to retain their valuable time, while also racing in a highly competitive environment. This head race, held on a 6000 meter section of the Susquehanna River , challenges both rowers and coxswains. The Fall Invitational's head-to-head racing style promotes giving 100% on the water, and allows rowers to visualize battling those same boats later in the season, when they find themselves on the courses of the the Head of the Charles, Schuylkill, and Occoquan.

Winter Training

Off the water, you can find the team training in a variety of locations on campus. In the erg room, rowers will find exclusive access to model C ergometers, as well as our Bucknell Crew Hall of Fame, detailing the exploits of crews going back to the early years of the team's inception.

At the end of Christmas Break the team travels down to Austin , Texas for an extended training camp on Town Lake . This is a trip that gives us an excellent opportunity to reconnect with the water and develop our skills in a relaxed and focused environment. It also gives the team a chance to harness the strength and fitness they've been working so hard on back in the gym and on the erg since Thanksgiving. The result is our first glimpse at our spring racing speed and a really thorough evaluation of where we stand at that moment."

When the team returns from Austin they make their final push through the winter and end the training period at Bucknell's Erg Armageddon, held in Davis Gym.

Erg Armageddon
This race provides a chance for many crews to come to Bucknell University and measure their skills against other rowers during the off-season. Entering its 9th year, this event, which utilizes the same monitor system used at CRASH-Bs, offers events in multiple categories and divisions. Medals are presented on an awards podium for 1st-3rd in each event.

Spring Rowing

Racing
The spring racing schedule is comprised of a mix of bigger regattas and smaller dual and tri-races. Each of these events serves as a tune up to our season ending championships held in Worcester and Philadelphia . The racing distance in these spring races is 2000m and our primary focus as a team is on 4 events: The Varsity 8, the JV 8, the Freshman/Novice 8, and the Lightweight 8.

Financial Aid

Bucknell does not offer athletic scholarships. However, Bucknell's need-based financial aid program is extremely competitive. Almost 65% of Bucknell students receive aid: over 24 million in grant assistance in addition to federal and state funds as well as other resources. The average financial aid package totals $20,000.

Resources

Our crews row out of the Bucknell boathouse, which was established in 2001. Located on the scenic Susquehanna River , it's 8 miles from campus. The Susquehanna River is a great place to row in part because there are no barges, shipping traffic, and very limited recreational boating traffic for the team to contend with. The lack of commercial development along the shores provides athletes with a beautiful rowing venue, and the largest inflatable dam in North America , located downstream from the boathouse, allows for many miles of rowable water.

The Bucknell Boathouse shelters an assortment of singles, pairs, doubles, fours, and eights, to provide a varied training schedule for our athletes. Coupled with top-of-the-line racing and practice eights.

Visiting Campus

The student-athletes of Bucknell University will open their dorm rooms to prospective freshmen for official visits throughout the 2005-2006 academic year. These overnights will include meals and housing with the team, observing a practice, a tour of campus and in most cases, observing one or two undergraduate classes. If you would like to schedule a visit, or have any questions about recruiting, Bucknell, or the Bucknell crew program, please contact head coach Paul Bugenhagen at pab031@bucknell.edu .

Looking Towards the Future

In 2006-2007 the mens crew program is looking to field its largest freshman/novice squad ever. To accomplish this goal, the team is actively recruiting high school rowers and seeks athletes of all disciplines interested in rowing for Bucknell to contact Head Coach Paul Bugenhagen. If you are an accepted or prospective Bucknell student and are interested in becoming a member of the team, you can reach Coach Bugenhagen or call the Office of Mens Crew at 570-577-1069.