Hold water…
Fifty-five years on
the Tennessee River
Rowing at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga since 1971. One Olympic gold medalist, 566 alumni on the roster so far, and a men’s squad racing again.
Rowed here? Add yourself to the roster.
Results since the restart
The program came back in fall 2025 with four rowers. A year later nine men raced an eight and a four at the Head of the Hooch, and an alumnae eight took bronze the next morning.
| Place | Event | Regatta | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8th of 16 | Men's novice 8+Head of the Hooch, Nov 2026 | Head of the Hooch, Nov 2026 | 16:28.6 |
| 12th of 26 | Men's novice 4+Head of the Hooch, Nov 2026 | Head of the Hooch, Nov 2026 | 17:33.0 |
| 3rd | Women's alumni 8+Head of the Hooch, Nov 2026 | Head of the Hooch, Nov 2026 | 19:24.5 |
| 3rd, B final | Men's 4xACRA Championships, May 2026 | ACRA Championships, May 2026 | 7:37.9 |
Olympians, scholars and lifelong rowers
A few of the people who came through the club.
Dan Beery
Gold, Class of 2000
Olympic Gold · Athens 2004
The first U.S. men's eight to win Olympic gold in 40 years. World-record 5:19.85 in the heat.
Keith Bruce
First, Class of 1994
First UTC USRowing All-American · 1993-94
The original — UTC's first USRowing Collegiate Academic All-American, two years before the 1995-96 sweep.
Robert Meeks
AA x 3, Class of 1996
USRowing Academic All-American · 1995-96
One of three UTC rowers named All-American in 1995-96 — more than any other U.S. college program that year, including Harvard, Yale, MIT, and Princeton.
Paul Turner
AA x 3, Class of 1996
USRowing Academic All-American · 1995-96
One of three UTC rowers named All-American in 1995-96 — more than any other U.S. college program that year, including Harvard, Yale, MIT, and Princeton.
Valerie Schlatter
AA x 3, Class of 1996
USRowing Academic All-American · 1995-96
One of three UTC rowers named All-American in 1995-96 — more than any other U.S. college program that year, including Harvard, Yale, MIT, and Princeton.
Stephen Thomas
Worlds, Class of 1995
1997 World Lightweight Quad
Raced for the U.S. lightweight quad at the World Championships in Aiguebelette.
See the whole roster. If you know a UTC rower whose story belongs here, tell us.
The program in five eras
- 1971–1983First pullsEight Pocock singles and a PE class. In 1971 Bill Raoul gave UTC eight Pocock singles. Three years later Raoul, Jack Fish and Terry Carney founded Lookout Rowing Club, and UTC students rowed as part of it.1971–1983 roster
- 1983–1989Carney yearsThe first crews under UTC's own name. Coach Terry Carney took UTC into competition. The men's novice four brought home the first medal, from the Head of the Chattahoochee in Atlanta in 1985. The women's varsity four won bronze at the Dad Vail in 1988, the first national-championship medal.4 alumni on file
- 1989–2017Espeseth yearsTwenty-eight years under one coach. Three USRowing Academic All-Americans in 1995–96, Dan Beery's Olympic gold in 2004, and the Tennessee Indoor Rowing Championships.483 alumni on file
- 2018–2022Worth yearsThe years we know least about. UTC raced through 2022. That winter the barges that served as its boathouse were lost, and the program stopped. We have almost no rosters from these years; if you rowed then, please add yourself.79 alumni on file
- 2025–nowThe restartBack on the water. Four students restarted the program in fall 2025 and took a quad to ACRA, finishing third in the B final. This year there are nine rowers, an eight and a four, and a new head coach.2025–now roster
Most of this history is in alumni closets and camera rolls
We have 566 names on file and far fewer photographs, lineups and stories. If you rowed at UTC, or know someone who did, what you send goes into the roster and the history.