PENNSAUKEN, New Jersey — Marietta College head men's rowing coach
Greg Myhr was named the Matt Ledwith Coach of the Year at the 85th annual Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta. The award is presented annually to a Dad Vail Coach who has a distinguished record of accomplishment. Myhr is the third Pioneer rowing coach to win this award joining legendary coach Ralph Lindamoof, who was the inaugural winner of this award in 1994, and John Bancheri, the 2002 recipient.
When Marietta College Director of Athletics Larry Hiser was looking for the right person to return Pioneer rowing to the Dad Vail medal stand, he landed on
Greg Myhr, a coach with a long pedigree of success.
Myhr took the reins in the summer of 2019 and immediately started making changes in the program aimed at returning Marietta rowing to the level of success the program has enjoyed over its long and storied history.
Marietta College, a small private liberal arts college in southeast Ohio, is a founding member of the Dad Vail Rowing Association. The Pioneer Navy captured the inaugural Dad Vail Trophy in 1934 and hosted the Dad Vail Regatta in 1935 and 1941.
In addition to the 1934 gold medal, Marietta won the varsity heavyweight 8 gold medal in 1963, 1966, 1967, and 2006.
In an effort to increase the level of competition the Pioneers face on a regular basis, Myhr made several changes to the racing schedule. The Pioneers now make an annual trip to the West Coast to compete in events like the San Diego Crew Classic. Myhr also added races against crews from the University of Wisconsin, Navy, and Princeton to the schedule.
A winter training trip is now a part of the program's training regimen. The Pioneers spend a week of intensive training in Florida to prepare for the spring racing season. Myhr also founded the Marietta Training Center, a US Rowing accredited Olympic Development Center that operates out of the Pioneers' Lindamood-VanVoorhis Boathouse in the summer.
"Marietta College has a near-perfect situation for rowing," Myhr said. "Between the Ohio and Muskingum Rivers, we have miles of pristine water. Our boathouse is second to none and is located less than a mile from campus. And the level of support our program receives from the College, the community, and our dedicated alumni base is absolutely phenomenal."
Through the support of the rowing alumni, the Lindamood-VanVoorhis Boathouse underwent a total renovation. Completed over two years, the end result is a facility that ranks among the best in the nation.
While COVID cancelled Myhr's first spring racing season and severely limited the entire 2020-21 year, the program has steadily grown in size and talent. As Myhr's message continues to gain traction in recruiting circles, Marietta is slowly climbing the standings toward the ultimate goal of returning to the Dad Vail medal platform.
Myhr started his coaching career as the assistant men's coach at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He served as an assistant for two years before taking over as the head freshman coach in 1997. The Badgers captured five Ten Eyck Team National Championships, three Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) Freshmen Four titles, and the 2000 Eastern Association of Rowing Colleges (EARC) Freshmen Eight Championship.
After a three-year stint as the freshman heavyweight coach at Georgetown, Myhr was named the head coach at George Washington in 2005. He moved to the University of Pennsylvania as the Quakers' men's heavyweight coach in 2009.
Penn finished 10th overall in the Ten Eyck team points standings at the 2015 IRA Regatta, highlighted by an 11th-place finish in the Varsity Eight to match the school's previous best that was achieved in 2012. The Quakers also earned the Clayton Chapman Team Trophy at the IRAs, recognizing the nation's most improved team.
Myhr spent two years as an assistant coach at St. Joseph's University and two years as the head coach for the Cambridge Boat Club before taking the job at Marietta.
Fans can follow all the Pioneer teams all year long at
pioneers.marietta.edu. You can also follow the Pioneers on Facebook at
facebook.com/MariettaCollege and @MariettaPioneer on X and Instagram.
