Ohio University Club Crew celebrates 30 years of community, resilience and rowing

Ohio University’s Club Crew Team celebrated 30 years of rowing, racing and building community on the water in 2025, bringing together generations of Bobcat rowers for an anniversary celebration that was nostalgic and full of love. Alumni from across the country returned to Athens to reunite with current team members, swap stories from training and regattas (races) and honor the program that has shaped lives for three decades.

What began in 1995 as the vision of founder James Wamsley to bring rowing to a smaller Midwestern university quickly grew into a defining opportunity for student life at Ohio University. Wamsley’s determination established not only a new athletic outlet but also helped lay the groundwork for what would become the Mid-America Collegiate Rowing Association. In those early years, the team expanded rapidly, splitting into separate men’s and women’s teams in 1997 before returning to its co-ed roots following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Today, OHIO Crew is the University’s only co-ed club rowing team, continuing a tradition of inclusivity and opportunity. 

“Joining OU Crew has been one of the best choices I could have made after starting college,” Emily Sapp, president of the club who is a Geography-Environmental Pre-Law major, said. “I joined in fall of 2022 and immediately fell in love with the sport and the team. I’ve made some of my best friends here and gained so many skills I could have never found anywhere else. As the president now, I’ve developed a connection with our alumni as well, and I’m excited to continue helping out the team and connect once I’ve graduated. I wouldn’t trade this team or my experiences for anything.”

No prior experience is required, and each year dozens of students are introduced to the sport, first indoors on rowing machines and then on the serene waters of Dow Lake at Stroud’s Run State Park. According to Sapp, each semester the club structures practices with the goal of competing in races, called regattas.

“Each new rower starts inside on the rowing machines,” she said. “We teach them form and the motion of rowing. Then, we transfer it to the water and teach them how to row in real boats. With our sport, we have a unique opportunity of not only building athletic ability but also creating some great experiences through team bonding.”

That blend of athletic challenge and connection has defined the team for generations. For current student-athletes, the anniversary celebration wasn’t just about looking back, but about connecting with alumni and feeling the legacy they are now part of. Many shared how joining crew helped them find community and purpose on campus.

“Crew basically defines my college experience. I started crew in my first semester of college and I am now going into my last semester of college,” said Lilly Newton, a Middle Childhood Education major. “I learned how to row through crew and now it will forever be part of my life and one of my favorite outdoor activities. I met my roommates and all my close friends through crew. I was down my first year of college because I was worried about finding friends and fitting in, but as soon as I joined crew I had a safe place to be myself and have fun with amazing supportive people. Crew keeps me active and busy. Without crew I am not sure where I would be at in my college career. It motivates me and kept me going through college.”

First-year rower Madalyn Miskell was similarly drawn to the welcoming environment and support system she found on the team.

“I joined OU crew as a way to stay active and to try something new, and it turned out to be the best decision I've made,” said Miskell, a Hearing Speech and Language Sciences major. “I've met the most amazing people through crew, and I've found a sport I absolutely love. The community is really what made me stay on the team. I just love how we all support each other whether it’s crew related or another club or activity.”

While the sport demands early mornings, long practices and physical grit, alumni say those shared challenges are what bring teammates closer together. Maintenance days spent rigging and derigging boats, organizing equipment and repairing oars often become some of the most meaningful moments off the water. And, as Sapp recalled, even mishaps can become lasting memories.

“My favorite (memory) in particular was when we bought our launch boat in the spring of 2025. The first day we were trying to use it we had forgotten to take out the drain plug and it was entirely full of rainwater from the April rainstorms. We took turns scooping water out with random cups and bowls from everyone’s cars and it was a comedic show. After that, we got together, carried this boat down the hill, and took turns sitting in the water and messing around. It’s nice to have silly moments with a team I love so dearly.”

Those moments of camaraderie and resilience continue to shape students long after graduation. For many alumni, the lessons learned through crew extended well beyond rowing.

For 2018 alum Casey Sudetic, the club provided both professional growth and lifelong friendships.

“I learned two valuable lessons during my time. As someone who is not a natural born leader, the leadership skills I learned from being part of the exec board have carried into my life and my involvement on teams today. I saw how effective a board committee was during my time on the team and brought that onto a team I'm currently on which has seen huge growth because of it,” Sudetic said. “I also learned problem solving skills and how to make the best of any situation no matter the hiccups that occur. It also gave me my first basic opportunity to explore my interest in graphic design which ended up being my career. After graduating, the friendships that still exist because of the time spent with the club is invaluable.”

That enduring connection is echoed by alumni across generations. Lexi Hipp, a 2016 graduate, reflected on how the team continues to shape her life years later.

“This team brought me some of my life long best friends. We're scattered across Ohio and the country now but we still remain close and visit each other when we can,” Hipp said. “This team gave me so many experiences that prepared me more for the workforce, and the real world. I'm grateful for the experiences I was gifted by being part of this team. I have so many fond memories of van rides to regattas and camp, racing at regattas, learning how to row at Camp Bob, and practicing every day at Stroud's. My college experience was defined because of this team and I'm forever grateful for the friends it brought me and the woman it made me.”

For Michael Grinstead, a 2010 graduate, the memories made through the program remain some of his most treasured.

“I’ll always cherish my time rowing with the Ohio University Men’s Crew team. From road trips to regattas, to early morning practices, to unforgettable team parties, OUMC gave me some of my best memories,” Grinstead said. “One of my favorites was traveling to the Dad Vail Regatta in Philadelphia—getting to explore a new city made those trips a highlight of my college experience. Many of my closest friends today came from OUMC; we’ve stood in each other’s weddings and still stay closely connected.”

As OU Crew celebrates its 30th anniversary, the program continues to look ahead. New members join every semester, discovering the same sense of belonging, challenge and joy that has defined the team since 1995. And as alumni continue to return, mentor and cheer the current rowers on, the legacy of Ohio University Club Crew remains firmly rooted in community, both on and off the water.