News & Press

News Releases & Press Inquiries

For high-resolution photographs, logos, quotations, and other press information, please email Olivia Sims at president@samfordcrew.org.

Fall 2015- Project Sparrow
In the early light of dawn, Samford Crew members can be found working hard on improving their rowing skills at Lake Purdy. Dedication to our sport and to our teammates leads us to commit to spending our available hours practicing for regattas, fundraising for the team, or just spending time together. Since the beginnings of Samford Crew, equipment problems have been an obstacle for us to overcome. With only one boat to our name, we struggled to split it amongst racing team members for practice time, and, on top of that, the boat is old and can at best be described as faithful but severely battered.

Many mornings were spent dreaming of a new boat. The idea of not having to stop practice to adjust a broken rigger, break out the wrenches to attempt a quick fix on a foot stretcher, or worry about the duct-taped bow was nearly mouth watering. As Samford Crew grew, the need and desire for a new boat intensified.

Summer 2015 brought high hopes for the purchase of a new shell. With a strong semester of budget organization and fundraising in spring 2015, Samford Crew’s leadership team aimed to buy a new boat for the fall semester. After many phone calls, emails, and countless hours of searching for available boats, Samford Crew finally made the big purchase. On September 26, 2015, our new boat arrived on a trailer from Georgia State University. Smiles wide and tears flowing, leadership team members unloaded the boat that had, in the preceding weeks, travelled all the way from New York.

On September 26, 2015, a dream came true. A beautiful blue Vespoli shell now belongs to Samford Crew, and we cannot be more proud of how far our club has come since its inception in 2010. With such a passion for what we do, I can happily and hopefully say that this is only the beginning.

Fall 2015 Regattas
September 19, 2015
Samford Crew attended the second annual Six Bridges Regatta in Little Rock, Arkansas. This regatta was farther than we have ever travelled to race before. With approximately a six-hour drive to our destination, crew members had plenty of bonding opportunities en route. With Chipotle in our bellies and visions of medals in our hearts, we arrived in Little Rock at around 10:00pm on September 18th.

The morning in Little Rock ran smoothly. The race was small but buzzing with excitement. The course was a straight shot with the city skyline in the background. With Samford Crew alumni there to cheer us on, the Samford tent on the riverbank was particularly chatty.

We raced three boats—2 varsity women’s fours and 1 novice women’s four. All three boats medaled in the race, and as we packed up to head back to Birmingham, the team was all smiles. Samford Crew’s first trip to Arkansas was certainly a success.

September 24, 2015
Samford Crew and Auburn Crew connected last spring at SIRA Championships in Oakridge, TN. We schemed about having a scrimmage between our crews the following fall. This would be the first time either crew had attended or planned a scrimmage.
On September 24, 2015, Samford Crew rose early to drive 2.5 hours down to Lake Hardy just a few miles outside of Auburn University. The teams quickly bonded over the fun times and unique lifestyle of being a part of a club rowing team.
We raced varsity women, novice women, and novice men between the two crews. Additionally, we had the coxswains row in a “cox race” to give our beloved leaders the opportunity to test their rowing skills.
All in all, the afternoon was filled with plentiful rowing and laughter. Everyone raced hard, and both crews were able to practice for upcoming regattas in a race-like setting. After both crews had lunch together, Samford Crew headed for home. We are thankful for our new friendship with Auburn Crew and thankful for their graciousness in hosting us!

Fall 2013 Recap: Chattanooga Head Race and Head of the South (12/1/2013)
Laura Lynn Williams

This fall, Samford Crew participated in two major head races, Chattanooga Head Race in TN, and Head of the South in Augusta, GA.

In Chattanooga, our Varsity Men's boat raced together for the first time, finishing at 19:41. The Varsity Women welcomed Nicole Huie to their boat, and finished at 21:14 on this familiar Chattanooga Course.
Finally, our Novice Women raced together for the first time and finished with a time of 23:59.
Thanks to Alabama Crew for lending us their 4+ "Bid Ed."

Just before Head of the South, our Novice Women stepped into Varsity when Sarah Bailey returned to the water.

In Augusta, our Varsity Men started out the morning defeating clubs from Berry, College of Charleston, and Augusta Rowing Club with a time of 19:46.
The Varsity Women A cut just under a minute off of their time, finishing 20:17, and the Varsity B boat finished in 21:18 in their first race together.

Many thanks to Augusta Rowing Club, Berry College Viking Crew, and Clemson's Crew for allowing us to borrow equipment on the road.

Head of the Hooch Race Results (11/18/2012)
Adam Quinn

Samford Crew racks up a 3rd and 9th place finishes this fall at the second largest regatta in the country, Head of the Hooch. Samford's Women's Four earned bronze medals after winning gold two weeks earlier at Hobbs Island. They beat out boats from Auburn, Georgia, and LSU out of a field of thirty-four to end their season. Samford's men placed 9th out of twenty-nine to finish in the top ten in the Southeast. After these fantastic race results, Samford Crew looks forward to racing again in the spring at Gunterville and SIRA regattas. Go Bulldogs!

Samford Crew wins Gold and Bronze in Hobbs Island Regatta (10/27/2012)
Adam Quinn

Samford Crew's Novice Women team placed first in the Hobbs Island Regatta last weekend to win the gold medal-- beating teams such as Sewanee, Georgia, and Auburn along the way. The True Novice Women followed up by winning bronze in what was their first regatta ever. Both women's boats represented Samford University well throughout the competition, including throwing the coxswain of their winning boat into the lake.

Samford Crew's two Men's boats similarly excelled, coming in fourth and fifth in their race. Both men's boats beat teams from Auburn, LSU, and Texas A&M to earn their spots. The team races again this weekend, November 3rd, at the Head of the Hooch regatta in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Hobbs Island Regatta Spectator Information (10/13/2012)
Adam Quinn

Samford Crew is racing in its first regatta of the fall season this Saturday, October 20th at Hobbs Island Regatta on Guntersville Lake. Come support Samford Crew's men and women's teams as they compete against schools like UAH and Sewanee for the victory!

Spectators are encouraged to attend and cheer on Samford Crew. The regatta is being held less than two hours away on Hobbs Island Road right off of US 231, address 293 Ditto Landing Road Huntsville, AL. There is plenty of room to watch the race from the greenway next to Ditto Landing. A map of the race course can be found here.

We plan to arrive at the regatta at 8:00 that morning, with both men's boats starting at 10:10 and women's boats starting at 2:20 and 2:25. All boats will be racing a 4500 meter course. Samford Crew will have snacks and a spectator tent near the finish line but spectators may also want to bring warm clothes, lawn chairs, and Samford gear.

All spectators are invited to attend a team dinner at Rosie's Cantina beginning at 4:00 after the regatta. Rosie's can be found at 7540-A South Memorial Parkway in Huntsville.

Finally, read about Hobbs Island and Samford Crew in the article recently published in the Samford Crimson! "Crew Team to Compete in Regatta"

Samford Crew represented at campus Student Organization Fair (9/2/2012)
Adam Quinn

This Thursday, September 6th, from 10:00-2:00 on Ben Brown Plaza, Samford Crew will be represented by its own table at Samford's Student Organization Fair. Samford Crew oarsmen and oarswomen will be manning the table all morning, representing SU Crew and talking to potential recruits, supporters, and sponsors.

We will be available to answer any questions you have about the team during that time, including how to sign up for Recruitment (online at row.samfordcrew.com), where and when we will be rowing in our next regatta (Hobbs Island on October 20th), and how you can support the team (offthedock.samfordcrew.com).

If you have any other questions about the team or would like to contact a Crew officer, email President Courtney Sheerin at president@samfordcrew.com.

Recruitment Launches for the New Season (9/2/2012)
Adam Quinn

For all Samford students interested in rowing with Samford Crew during the upcoming season, recruitment 2012 launches the week of Monday, September 10th and continues until final decisions are made later that week.

During recruitment, new recruits practice with the team for a full week, giving them a chance to decide if Crew is right for them and allowing the Crew to decide if they would make a good fit with the team.

No previous rowing experience is necessary to go through recruitment or to join the team. Once you are a part of the Crew, we will teach you everything you need to know about rowing.

The sign up form for Recruitment can be found on the Recruitment website at row.samfordcrew.com.

If you have any further questions please contact Shelby Lambert, Director of Recruitment, at slamber1@samford.edu.

Samford Crew Fall Regattas Announced (9/2/2012)
Adam Quinn

Angie Selvaggio, Vice President for Regattas, has officially announced the dates for Samford Crew's Fall Regattas. SU Crew will be racing this fall at Hobbs Island in Guntersville, Alabama on October 20th, and at the Head of the Hooch in Chattanooga, Tennesee November 2-4.

Not only will Samford Crew be matching the two regattas the team raced in last spring, this will be the first time the Crew has raced in a fall regatta. Boats racing in each regatta will be set in September and results will be posted on the Samford Crew website, www.samfordcrew.com.

Those interested in attending either regatta should contact Angie Selvaggio at regattas@samfordcrew.com for further details.

Rowers Return for Crew Camp 2012 (9/2/2012)
Adam Quinn

While the rest of Samford's student body was relaxing on the beach, finishing up their summer reading, or packing up their cars for move-in day, the rowers of Samford Crew were back on campus running, erging, and lifting weights to prepare for the upcoming fall season.

From August 18th to 24th, Samford Crew held it's annual fall crew camp for returning rowers. Fifteen rowers came back to campus a week before classes started to spend time on the lake and with each other. "It's this kind of dedication and hard work before school even starts that guarantees Samford Crew will have a successful season this fall," President Courtney Sheerin said.

The camp was a tremendous success, with each rower increasing in fitness, technique, and motivation after only one week. The Crew wants to thank Angie Selvaggio, Vice President of Regattas, for planning, organizing, and running this year's Crew Camp.

Vice President for Regattas Formally Announces Spring Competitions (2/20/2012)
Kley Sippel

Samford Crew will be rowing Samford and Birmingham to new places this spring. Catherine Farist, current Vice President for Regattas, announced final plans to compete in two regattas this spring.

SUCrew will travel first to Lake Guntersville in Guntersville, AL on April 14th for their first-ever water race. This small regattas will be a perfect live-trial for the skills the crew has worked on so diligently since SUCrew was founded in the fall of 2010.

Their second race, a step up with more events and tougher competition, will be on April 27 in Oak Ridge, TN. The crew will compete at the SIRA regatta and face comeptitiors such as Vanderbilt, UNC, Auburn and Alabama.

“I expect it to be demanding, and I’m honestly not sure how we will do. I have faith in my rowers, though, and know they’ll push themselves and rise to the challenge”, said Farist.
Courtney Sheerin, the team’s lead coxswain, said, “It will be a challenge for all of us because racing at a regatta and practicing on Lake Purdy are two very different things. There will be a learning curve, but it is one we’re all looking forward to facing.”

People interested in attending either regatta should contact Catherin Farist (regattas@samfordcrew.com) for further details. Results from these races will be posted on Samford Crew’s website, www.samfordcrew.com.

President Sippel Announces New Partnerships (2/20/2012)
Kley Sippel

Samford Crew relies on the support of not just dues and financial donations, but in-kind support from local business. In fact, between these supports and the service days crew participates in, Samford Crew is very much a community organization, not just one for Samford.

Kley Sippel, crew President, announced two new partnerships that will aid SUCrew’s operations. Hart & Soul, a locally-owned cafe in Edgewood, has agreed to support SUCrew by hosting officer meetings and socials. “The free use of space and discounted catering rates make not only leadership meetings more relaxed and productive, but will provide several evenings for the crew to hang out,” said Sippel.

Additionally, Agoge Fitness has signed on as a fitness partner. Agoge Fitness, a locally-owned gym that focuses on CrossFit-style training, is going to host several fitness sessions. They’re designed to challenge the crew but also teach them principles of athletic growth.

Seeking partnership is always on the minds of SUCrew’s leadership. The crew believes such alliances strengthen the community, allow businesses and the crew to serve each other, and enhance the presence of Samford’s scholar-athletes in the community.

Crew is in constant need of any type of support, so if your locally-owned business is interested in a partnership, contact Sippel (president@samfordcrew.com) and he would love to chat over coffee.

SUCrew Launches Spring Recruitment (2/20/2012)
Kley Sippel

Samford Crew has decided to host spring recruitment and draw in new athletic talent. “While the long-term model is a transition to an annual recruitment, we simply have had too much interest from students to cut out spring recruitment this year,” said Shelby Lambert, crew’s Director for Recruitment.

Samford Crew has always attracted strong talent, though not always experienced. David Eden, the crew’s Vice President for Finance, said, “Crew has the unique talent of being able to accept unexperienced people full of dedication and potential and turn them into star rowers in just a semester.”

SUCrew encourages anyone interested in challenging themselves to come to a meeting, regardless of previous athletic experience. Eden noted, “rowers that have earned medals for SUCrew and beat competitors from state schools like Georgia Tech, had diverse athletic backgrounds prior to crew, including two rowers with no athletic history.”

Recruitment takes place from March 5th to March 16th. Interested students should visit row.samfordcrew.com for more details and to sign up for an informational meeting.

The week period includes meetings for people to learn about rowing and Samford Crew, regular workouts with the team, and performance tests at the end. Those invited by the crew’s President to row with Samford Crew will enjoy First Meal, a tradition where current rowers welcome this season’s newly invited novices.

Samford Crew Earns Medals at First Competition (2/14/2012)
Kley Sippel

A year and half of planning, dedication, sacrifice, and endurance paid off as 13 of Samford’s rowers competed again University of Georgia, Emory College, College of Charleston, Auburn, Georgia Tech, Berry College and others at the Atlanta Erg Sprints – and earned Samford medals on their first try.

The competition, often an early spring indicator of a team’s strengths, consists of various events on ergs, or rowing machines. It is a pure test of power and rowers race in 2,000m, 1,000m, and 500m sprints.

All of Samford Crew placed in the top 50% of rowers, an impressive placing for the entirely novice crew. Kley Sippel, senior economics major from Greenville, SC and the crew’s current President, placed 4th, beating over 80 rowers and Shelby Lambert, junior nursing major from Madison, AL and the crew’s Director of Recruitment, placed 7th, beating over 70 rowers in the novice 2,000m sprint. Lambert and Sippel also placed third in the 500m sprints, earning medals for Samford Crew.

Proving that all of Samford Crew pursues athletic excellence, Lauren Howell, a sophomore coxswain placed second in the cox’s 1,000m sprint.

In addition to the high placings and medals, most all of the crew raced at personal record speeds.

“The competition was perfect – it was a happy reward for the hard work SUCrew has put in the past few semesters, but it showed us we still have progress to make if we plan to medal in the regattas this April, which we do,” said Catherine Farist, junior journalism major and Vice President for Regattas.

Regatta Visit Builds Community, Exposes Crew to Races (4/4/2011)
April 1st was Samford Crew’s first regatta, though they are not racing just yet. The crew has spent the semester training on ergs, watching film, growing the club, and getting ready for their fall debut.

Part of the preparation was to experience a real regatta. The sweeping majority of rowers are new to the sport. Visiting a regatta was a new experience that fueled excitement for fall competitions.

Over 20 rowers from the crew travelled to Clemson University near Greenville, SC to watch the annual Clemson Sprints. Races included high school, collegiate, and masters heats.

The crew was also able to see how an established crew operates. After talking with leaders of Clemson’s crew club, the officers left with new ideas for fundraising and expansion.

Buying boats is the most pressing need of the club, and they discovered some economical ideas to buy them when the time is right.

The three-day trip was also designed to build the team’s community. Don Orr, recently appointed VP for Finance, said, “It was great to hang out with everyone outside of practice. You see a different side of people and get to know them better.”

Kley Sippel, VP for Development, hosted the crew at his home and grandmother’s home. The crew is grateful for the Sippel’s hospitality, which made the trip financially possible.

Samford Crew Welcomes New Officers (3/31/2011)
As Samford Crew continues to expand membership and grow operations, its current officers decided it was time to activate the last two leadership positions.

Since February the crew has been operating under its new Constitution (though still not officially adopted), but had yet to appoint a VP for Finance and a Secretary. After soliciting applications for the two positions, the President appointed Courtney Sheerin (‘13) as Secretary and Don Orr (‘13) as Vice President for Finance.

Effective immediately, they will begin serving in their new positions. Sheerin’s main responsibilities will be handling the club’s communication operations and supporting the ventures of various Vice Presidents. Orr will be responsible for creating and implementing the yearly, semesterly, and project-based budgets.

Catherine Farist, VP for Regattas, said, “It’s great to have them on board! Courtney and Don have already invested so much beyond practice, it only made sense for them to serve as officers.”

As officers, they also have over-arching responsibilities beyond their specific duties. All officers play an equal role in shaping the development of the crew.

“I’m excited to have Courtney and Don join the team. As we begin to distribute leadership responsibilities amongst more people, the club can run more effectively,” Kley Sippel, VP for Development, said.

Adam Beasley, President, said, “It’s amazing to see how much the club’s grown. I’m exited to see where we’ll be next semester – if it’s anything like this semester's growth, we’ll be a leading crew in the region."

Dr. Latham Begins Tradition of Philanthropy for Crew (2/24/2011)
Samford Crew gained traction today with its first outside donation. Dr. Sarah Latham, Samford University’s Vice President for Operations and Planning, is funding the purchase of much-needed practice equipment.

Until now, the club has been operating from in-kind donations (e.g. boats from the Birmingham Rowing Club) and personal contributions of officers. Receiving outside financial support has reassured the leadership that Samford Crew is a promising investment for Samford and the Birmingham community..

Dr. Latham learned about the crew’s plans in an administrative meeting including President Westmoreland and Dr. Phil Kimrey, along with the leadership board of the rowing team. Latham was impressed and later that evening contacted Kley Sippel (VP for Development) saying, “I am most impressed with the Crew.”

Sippel said, “It’s very encouraging to know our vision can be seen beyond the crew team. To get financial support for our operations is one of the best ways to help Samford Crew succeed.” He hopes Dr. Latham’s support of the crew will spur others to see what an opportunity this is to enhance Samford’s student life.

Her donation will fund the purchase of maintenance equipment and, more excitedly, three new computer units to track performance on the ergometers (rowing machines).

If you're interested in learning more about Samford Crew, or wish to support the endeavor yourself, please contact Kley Sippel, Vice President for Development, at 646-789-5852.

WVSU Features Samford Crew (2/23/2011)
The vision of Samford Crew has made it to the airwaves as WVSU’s Lauren Womack interviewed Samford Crew’s leaders. Adam Beasley, Catherine Farist, and Kley Sippel spoke about what attracted them to rowing and the accomplishments that have been achieved thus far.

You can hear the full clip on WVSU’s site, here.

Samford’s President Meets with Crew Leaders (2/23/2011)
Samford Crew officers led the club to another milestone, as they shared the story and vision of Samford Crew with President Westmoreland. The meeting, which included Dr. Latham (VP for Operations and Planning) and Dr. Kimrey (VP for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management) was a time to share the successes of Samford Crew thus far and solicit advice for development the program further.

Despite the challenges the team faces (mainly logistical and financial), all at the meeting were confident that Samford Crew could overcome them. They see Crew as a positive addition to Samford’s campus and support its growth.

Samford Crew Hosts Birmingham Rowing Club's Bill Bryant (2/16/2011)
Samford Crew President Adam Beasley, along with vice presidents Catherine Farist and Kley Sippel, invited Bill Bryant to campus for lunch Wednesday. Bryant, president of the Birmingham Rowing Club (BRC), has been instrumental in helping Samford Crew get its start up by providing boats on Lake Purdy for practice.

Beasley and the other officers strove to show their appreciation to Bryant for his hospitality. They also wanted to him to get a feel for Samford life, too. While Bryant had been on campus for a concert he had never seen most of campus.

While dining in The Rotunda, they discussed the future of Samford Crew and its partnership with the BRC. “We’re excited, not just about our access to boats and water, but how the BRC and Samford Crew can partner to increase participation in this lifelong sport,” Sippel, Vice President for Development, said.

SamfordCrew.com Launches Full Site (2/7/2011)
On Sunday evening, the landing page of SamfordCrew.com was replaced by a new dynamic, informative site. Since the domain launched late last year with only a landing page, a more informative site has been in the works.

The centerpiece of the new site is the “About Crew” page, where people can learn more about the sport of crew and its history at Samford. A timeline of rowing history, dating to Egyptian times, shows interesting landmarks in the sport’s development. The “Team Bios” page provides short, insightful biographies of current rowers.

Most important, though, is the “Recruitment” page where the crew hopes to gain the interest of more rowers. The page discusses the recruitment process and has an interest form students should fill out to learn more. It’s worked well so far.

Kley Sippel, Vice President for Development, said, “We’re impressed with the enthusiastic response so far; having to add more practice sessions is a good thing. Soon, though, we hope to acquire funding for more equipment to accommodate our rapid growth.”

As Samford Crew continues to grow, it plans to add videos, interviews, RSS feeds, and other interactive content. Samford Crew also maintains presence on both Facebook and Twitter, and encourages fans to connect via social media.

Students interested in joining should visit the recruiting page or email recruiting@samfordcrew.com

Crew Begins Operating Under New Constitution (1/23/2010)
After drafting the constitution for Samford’s official crew team, the veteran rowers have begun operating under its structure. The document details the creation of a Board of Directors and team leadership, which is imperative as the crew begins to solidify its foundation as a university organization.

The most immediate effects were the unanimous appointment of temporary officers: Adam Beasley, President; Kley Sippel, Vice President for Development; Catherine Farist, Vice President for Contests. The position of Secretary/Treasurer remains vacant for now.

Dr. Betsy Dobbins Agrees to be Faculty Sponsor (1/6/2011)
In another step to becoming an official club sport at Samford, Dr. Betsy Dobbins has agreed to be the faculty sponsor of Samford Crew. Dobbins is a professor of biology in the Howard College of Arts and Sciences. She first met Samford rowers in her biology class.

The next step for Samford Crew will be fundraising. They are seeking sponsors for financial support and in-kind donations.

If you are interested in learning more about Samford Crew, including how to support its growth, email Drew Fahrion at drew@samfordcrew.com.

Publicity and Recruiting Efforts Begin (1/5/2011)
Though Samford’s crew team has been practicing since August 2010, most students on campus still have no idea Samford has a crew team, or that crew teams row. “Let’s face it--crew is a preppy, ivy-league sport from the north east. Most people in the south don’t know what it is,” Catherine Farist, freshman journalism major, said.

A major effort of the crew this spring is to increase knowledge of rowing among Samford students. Kley Sippel, junior economics and marketing major, said, “Of course we want them to know Samford has a crew team, but we want them to understand the sport of rowing, too.” For example, most people are unaware that the first inter-collegiate competition in the United States was the Harvard-Yale regatta in 1852, predating football competitions by more than two decades.

The crew plans to use their website, www.samfordcrew.com, to share more about rowing. For people interested in following the happenings of Samford’s crew, Sippel encourages them to connect with Facebook and Twitter. He said, “It will be more than just race and practice information. We plan to share our stories, pictures, videos, and more. We are really hoping to foster community support of this new athletic opportunity for Samford.”

Samford Crew Shows Impressive Progress (12/16/2010)
In just three months students have started Samford’s first crew team since 1910 and are showing impressive progress. Split speeds (the miles-per-hour of rowing) have decreased as much as 30%, and individual 5k trial times have shed 13 second in some cases.

“When I joined, I had no idea what I was doing. I knew it would be fun, but it’s taken a lot of hard work,” said Adam Beasley, a freshman biology major. He was primed to be a strong rower from his history in soccer and cross-country.

Contrary to what most people think, the power behind each rowing stroke is in the legs, not the arms. Oarsmens’ feet are strapped to the boat and their seats slide back with each stoke, allowing their legs to power the stroke. Drew Fahrion, acting coach, noted, “Upper body strength is definitely critical, but the power really comes from the quads. Most people don’t realize that.”

With their first competition in February the crew seems on track to make an impressive debut. Competition details and team biographies will be posted on www.samfordcrew.com when the full site launches. Until then, be sure to follow the crew on Facebook and Twitter.

SamfordCrew.com Launches (12/1/2010)
The Samford Crew team launched their website today, taking another step in developing their program and establishing a crew tradition at Samford. The site currently shows a landing page with the tagline “Let the tradition begin. . .”, as well as vintage pictures of other crew teams.

Kley Sippel, a junior rower from Greenville, SC says, “We are currently building the back end of a more informative site. Our goal is to create a space to interact with and learn about the team, and to educate the community about rowing.”

Samford’s Crew began this fall and hopes to formally establish itself as a club in the spring. People interested in learning more or joining the team should email recruiting@samfordcrew.com

Numbers Grow for Samford Crew (11/15/2010)
The Samford Crew team has grown from one freshman rower of Appling, GA to ten rowers from as far as Texas. Since arriving at Samford, Drew Fahrion has been spreading interest in rowing with hopes of establishing a crew. In just one semester, it seems to have happened.

With six ladies and four men, Samford is poised to compete in spring trials and regattas. Collegiate regattas have races for two, four, and eight people. Samford will be racing in women’s and men’s coxed four races, where each boat has four rowers and a coxswain who directs the boat.

Josh Throckmorton, freshman business major, said, “It’s exciting to see enough people for races now. At the beginning it was just a few of us practicing, but every few weeks we’ve gained another rower.” Throckmorton was the third student to start practicing with Fahrion.

Since schools can enter more than one boat in a regatta, which is usually a weekend set of races, the crew is certainly interested in growing even more. “A crew doesn’t just add members if sets of four. We are always interested in adding more rowers, and you can still race in the spring even if you are just now joining,” Fahrion explained.

Samford Crew Begins Practice on Lake Purdy (10/2/2010)
In another sign of growth, the Samford crew is leaving the gym and taking practice to the lake. Since beginning this fall, practice included strength conditioning and workouts on ergometers, commonly known as ergs or rowing machines.

Through a partnership with the Birmingham Rowing Club, Samford’s crew will begin practicing three times a week on Lake Purdy, located off of Interstate 280 near the Church at Brookhills. “Erging works out muscles, but rowing ultimately depends on technique. I’m excited to have the crew on the water, and we are most grateful to Bill Bryant of the Birmingham Rowing club for lending us boats,” said Fahrion, the acting coach.

Drew Fahrion Starts Crew Team (9/3/2010)
Samford University will add another sport to its offerings this year- rowing. A student-driven initiative to form a crew team began when freshman Drew Fahrion came to Samford in 2010. Fahrion is from Appling, GA and rowed with the Augusta Rowing Club in high school, ranking nationally in mens’ doubles.

Fahrion has always had hopes of rowing in college and was recruited by several universities, including Georgia Tech, but he ultimately chose Samford. “Something just didn’t fit with the other campuses. I felt Samford was the place for me, and if there wasn’t a crew, then I would try to build one,” Fahrion said. He made it his goal to lead a crew and establish a rowing tradition at Samford.

Interested students are practicing daily in Seibert hall on equipment donated by the Augusta Rowing Club. The crew hopes to race this spring, but will need more ladies and men to enter boats in the coxed four races.

Most of the students have not rowed before, but Fahrion says with dedication and practice, that is not a problem. Interested students should contact Drew Fahrion at afahrion@samford.edu to learn more.