View From The Hilltop

November 20, 2013

Never Row Redux

Mike Driscoll B'08, relentless weekend organizer

Another successful rowing celebration weekend took place on November 8-10 at Georgetown, this time to celebrate the 50th anniversary of men's lightweight crew. The weekend attracted over 300 alums, parents, friends, and current rowers. Congrats and thanks to the lightweights and to the weekend organizers. A special shout-out goes to Mike Driscoll B'08 and his team of weekend co-chairs. A wonderful array of weekend photos can be found here.

Tom Walker C'66, PHD'70, M'72, R'77 with gift oar above

Two special presentations took place during the weekend. At the Saturday lunch, Tom Walker C'66, PHD'70, M'72, R'77 returned an original Georgetown oar he inherited from his great uncle Sydney Mudd, class of 1906, who rowed with our early Hoya boats at the IRA in Poughkeepsie at the beginning of the 20th century. Here is a link to Hoya alum and Congressman Mudd.

Coaches Sam Stitt and Tony Johnson accept blade from Al DiFiore F'61, L'64

Al DiFiore F'61, L'64, first lightweight coach on the Hilltop, presented to varsity LW coach Sam Stitt and to director of rowing, Tony Johnson, a commemorative oar blade that he had received from his oarsmen at the end of his tenure. Appropriate locations for displaying both of these artifacts are under review for either McDonough Gym or the new rowing training center (RTC).

Improvements to the RTC are continuing. Varsity women's coach, Miranda Paris, gave a inspiring tour of the facility during the recent celebration weekend and explained the annual replacement cycle: the need for some new training equipment (ergs and bikes) each year to replace the oldest parts of this inventory. Like our racing shells and launches, all our training equipment is funded through external gifts by alumni, parents, and friends.

We continue to strive to keep our shell and launch inventory current. Our men's lightweight squad needs funding for a new front-line racing shell. Our women's teams are seeking new front-line racing eights. Our men's heavyweight team also seeks funding for new training eights. All squads are in need of additional shared boats: fours, pairs, and launches. If you would like more information how to make a gift towards the teams' equipment needs, please contact me at mcardlep@georgetown.edu. At the same time, it is also incredibly important to support the programs' current operating budget, which funds the crews' every day expenses. To make a gift, please visit here or click on one of the buttons at the bottom of this e-mail.

Costume was sent from the Hilltop to Pat's wake.

The one sad moment of the anniversary weekend occurred when word circulated among those attending about a horrific auto accident in New York that took place early that Saturday morning. In the fatal taxicab was Pat Sheehan C'81. Most remember Pat as Georgetown's first costumed bulldog, who set the standard for all who followed in that role. Among this returning group of rowing alums however, many recalled Pat as an enthusiastic freshman coxswain on the crew. When I traveled last week to Pat's wake and funeral, the number of former Hoya rowers in the church was striking. Please see an article in The HOYA here.

Finally, the latest issue of Rowing Magazine has a very nice eight-page feature article on Tony Johnson, our long-time men's coach and director of rowing on the Hilltop. I have attached the article here as a PDF.

As we head into the holiday season, let me offer my thanks and appreciation to the rowing community for their continued care and support for Georgetown Crew.

Good wishes,

Pat McArdle
Sport Administrator - Men's and Women's Rowing

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June 21, 2013

WELCOME HOME : REUNION ROW 2013

On Saturday, June 1, 2013, Georgetown alumni reunion brought back to Thompson's Boathouse 6 eights of rowing alums plus family members, friends and a few former rowers who preferred to watch. Alumni graduating in years ending in 3 and 8 arrived at the river at 9:00 am with rowing conditions about as perfect as it gets on the Potomac.
On Saturday, June 1, 2013, Georgetown alumni reunion brought back to Thompson's Boathouse 6 eights of rowing alums plus family members, friends and a few former rowers who preferred to watch. Alumni graduating in years ending in 3 and 8 arrived at the river at 9:00 am with rowing conditions about as perfect as it gets on the Potomac.

The Annual Fund for Athletics, Hoyas Unlimited, and GRAA were on hand with bagels, coffee and juice to help get the blood flowing. (Thank you, Myrhia Brewer and John Kenchelian) And a big thanks for organizing the boats to J.J. Forster '70, Vince Puma '91, David Don '93, and Will Packard '84.

April 18, 2013

Spring Row Weekend 2013

Last weekend, an estimated 200 alumni, parents and friends of the Crew came together on the banks of the river where they witnessed multiple Hoya victories on the race course while connecting and renewing relationships first formed in the Georgetown Rowing experience.


The Hoya heavyweight varsity edged out UVA on Saturday morning

Last weekend, an estimated 200 alumni, parents and friends of the Crew came together on the banks of the river where they witnessed multiple Hoya victories on the race course while connecting and renewing relationships first formed in the Georgetown Rowing experience.


Past GRA presidents Drew Schreiber ‘86, David Don ‘93 joined current president Neil Lane ‘85 at the river

Sponsored by the Georgetown Rowing Association (GRA), Spring Row Weekend 2013 was a success by all accounts. Graduates from the classes of 1961 through 1967 (the Don Cadle era) gathered on both Friday and Saturday evenings, sharing gleeful tales of the past. Lightweight alumni, parents, and current rowers enjoyed the hospitality of Hoya parent, Kevin Mahaney at his Georgetown home on Saturday evening. GRA president Neil Lane ‘85 welcomed all back at a noon-time lunch and open meeting on the state of Georgetown Crew.

The GRA open meeting and lunch drew alums, parents and friends

Bert Mason ‘67, Mike Hughes ‘66, Arlene and Ed Witman ‘67


Former coach Walt Barber and HW assistant coach Frank Benson eye the race progression on the teletron

Tiger Sergeant ‘65, Linda Hoeschler, and Mike Mullin ‘64

Crew alum and parent of current rower, Terry Fitzgerald ‘80 with Drew Schreiber

Highlighting the daytime activities on Saturday were two ceremonies: the first honoring former rower and coach John J. Forster ‘70 with the dedication of the Forster Challenge Cup, presented annually to the winner of the race between the Georgetown and Navy lightweight men; and the second, the christening of a new shell, “The Spirit of ‘62,” a gift from the Cadle era rowers. Lastly, enough senior oarsmen showed up at the dock on Sunday morning for a refreshing row on the river.

The Lightweight Varsity scored an impressive come-from-behind victory over Navy to capture the inaugural John J. Forster Challenge cup

Varsity Lightweight captains Chan Mahaney ‘13 and Jack
Devlin ‘13 with Forster Cup

Claiming the Cup: Varsity LW squad with Jay Forster

Neil Lane ‘85 helps to dedicate the Forster Cup as Varsity LW coach Sam Stitt, Jay Forster ‘70 and Pat McArdle ‘72 look on

Jay Forster ‘70 and Lightweight assistant Vince Puma ‘90 with the Cup

Varsity Lightweights with coach Sam Stitt and namesake of the Cup

Tom Stevenson ‘67 led off the ceremonies with pipes and garb

Cadle-era firestarter and Spirit of '62 organizer, Jack Hoeschler '64


The Spirit Lives On!


Linda Hoeschler and Frank Barrett '61

Linda Hoeschler christens the shell with a bubbly bath

Past and present rowers show their approval

Erik Meyers '71, Athletic Director Lee Reed, and Coach Tony Johnson

Unofficial videographer of the weekend: Don Whamond '61

Coxswains United: Bethany Bisko ‘15, Kerri McKie ‘13, and Nathaniel Liu ‘13 with Tiger Sergeant ‘65

Heavyweights Ben Holtzmuller '13 and Henry Hoffstot ‘13 with Pat Doyle ‘63

Heavyweight rower Graham Miller ‘16 and Mike Mullin ‘64

Saturday dinner at the Cosmos Club with Ted Kundtz ‘67, Ed Witman ‘67, Mike Vespoli ‘68, and head coach Tony Johnson

Many attendees made their way to the crew table where they found removable crew tattoos and were able to purchase one of the colorful Georgetown oar hats for sale. It was a memorable weekend and had everyone looking forward to the 2014 edition.