A History of UCLA Rowing: From Humble Beginnings to National Champions
The UCLA Men's Rowing team celebrated its 90th anniversary in grand style by winning the Varsity 8 trophy at the American Collegiate Rowing Association (ACRA) National Championship in 2023. From its inception in 1933, inspired by the Los Angeles Olympic Games, to its recent national triumph, the program has experienced periods of growth, challenges, and ultimately, success.
The Early Years: Establishing a Tradition (1930s-1960s)
Inspired by the 1932 Olympic Games, held in Los Angeles, UCLA set a precedent for the other southern universities by establishing crew. The Bruins chose the Long Beach Marine Stadium, built for the 1932 Olympics, as their home course for the season. In 1934, under new coach Ben Wallis, formerly a Yale stroke oarsmen and coach at California, UCLA Crew secured its first victory on March 31, defeating Sacramento Junior College at Long Beach. In 1937, after rowing at the Long Beach Marine Stadium for four years, the Bruins began to move to the newly constructed Ballona Creek in Playa del Rey.
In 1963, construction began on a new boathouse, signaling a commitment to the program's future. John Bisset was named as the program's first full-time coach in 1964, after coaching the freshman at the University of Washington. The Bruins were undefeated in the regular season en route to their first West Coast/Pac-8 Championship in 1967. The 1970 racing season also included wins in both the Wallis Cup against California and the Harbach Cup against USC and Stanford, adding to the team's growing list of accomplishments. For the second time in four years, the Bruins were victorious at the Western Sprint Championships in 1970.
Evolution and Growth: Women's Crew and Coaching Changes (1970s-1980s)
Beginning in the 1960s, UCLA Women's Crew began evolving from the Shell and Oar auxiliary group founded in the 1930s. In 1973, the Shell and Oar format was officially dropped, and the team gained intercollegiate status, marking a significant step forward for women's athletics at UCLA.
The program saw several changes in leadership during this period. Duval Hecht, formerly a Stanford oarsman who stroked the USA pair without coxswain to a gold medal finish at the 1956 Olympic Games, began as Varsity Men's Coach in 1976. In 1980, Robert Newman, a member of the Bruin's first Pac-8 Championship crew, came to UCLA after a successful stint at the University of California, Irvine. Newman, who represented the United States at the 1969 World Championships, led the Bruins to several strong finishes at the Pac-8/West Coast Championships. Sims, formerly with the UCLA freshman, moved to the varsity for the 1985-1986 season. Zenon Babraj, a native of Poland and a member of several Polish National Teams as both a sweep oarsmen and sculler, began as Varsity Men's Coach in 1986.
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Pac-10 Dominance and National Recognition (1980s-1990s)
The late 1980s and early 1990s were a golden era for UCLA Rowing, marked by consistent success at the Pac-10 Championships and increasing recognition on the national stage. In 1987, UCLA defeated Cal by five seats to win the Pac-10 title in a dramatic grand final. The Bruins won the Pac-10 Championship for the third consecutive year in 1989. In addition to defending their Pac-10 title in Sacramento, the Bruins won the San Diego Crew Classic and placed third at the Redwood Shores Classic in 1988.
After finishing second at the Pac-10 Championships, the Bruins went on to record the program's highest ever finish at the Collegiate Nationals in 1990. In 1992, UCLA finished a close second at the Pac-10 Championships and in the top-8 at the Collegiate Nationals. Craig Webster, who rowed for UCLA from 1986-1989 and was an integral part of the 1988 Pac-10 Championship crew that went on to represent UCLA at the Henley Regatta, began as Varsity Men's Coach in 1993.
Rebuilding and Renewed Focus (1990s-2010s)
After a successful rowing career at the University of California, Santa Barbara, Erinn McMahan took over a crew that had failed to field an entry at the 1996 Pac-10 Championships. For a decade, McMahan dedicated himself to rebuilding the program, quickly making strides to both grow the roster and strengthen relationships with alumni.
The Stiffey Era: A Return to Championship Form (2018-Present)
Marcel Stiffey began as Head Coach in 2018, bringing with him ten years of coaching experience and a vision to make UCLA Men's Rowing a premier club program. He brings expertise from his time rowing at Leander Club and has several years of coaching experience at Newport Aquatic Center.
The 2022 fall racing season started with high hopes after finishing 2022 as the #3 team in the nation with the #2 Varsity 8 at the 2022 ACRA National Championships. The team, however, had an inauspicious start after finishing 29th out of 41 entries at the Head of the Charles Regatta. UCLA proved to be the top college rowing club at the 2023 season opening California Challenge Cup. The Bruin crew followed that up by sweeping the varsity events and retaining the team title trophy at the Newport Regatta. The Bruins were again the top college rowing club and won the Lightweight 8 at the San Diego Crew Classic.
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The Bruins start the defense of their National Championship with their first training session on September 20 with clear goals. Coach Stiffey shared, "The group coming in this year is the deepest and most athletic squad UCLA has had in my tenure as coach. The selection process for seats should be very competitive as seven members from the championship 8 are expected to return.
The Role of J.D. Morgan
J.D. Morgan's influence extended beyond the financial realm. Under Morgan’s direction, UCLA won an unprecedented 30 NCAA championships - 10 in basketball, seven in volleyball, six in tennis, four in track and field, and three in water polo - more than any other university during that same period. Morgan’s success was fueled by his intense competitive nature and fierce Bruin loyalty. A career Bruin, Morgan came to UCLA in the late 1930s and was a four-year letterman on the men’s tennis team, serving as team captain in 1941. Following graduation from the UCLA School of Business Administration, he commanded a Navy torpedo boat in the South Pacific during World War II before returning to his alma mater in 1946 to accept a position in UCLA’s accounting office and simultaneously serve as assistant tennis coach under William C. Following Ackerman’s retirement in 1949, Morgan was anointed head coach of the men’s tennis team and went on to mentor Bruin tennis legends Arthur Ashe ’66 and Charles Pasarell, among others.
In the early 1960s, with the UCLA athletics budget running in the red, Chancellor Franklin D. Murphy looked to J.D. On Feb. 8, 1963, when Murphy announced his selection of Morgan to succeed the retiring Wilbur Johns ’25, restoring financial stability to the program was at the forefront of his mind. As associate business manager, Morgan was instrumental in arranging the financing for several major campus building projects, including Ackerman Student Union and the four high-rise residence halls. At the time of his appointment, plans for an on-campus indoor sports arena were moving forward.
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