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Each year, USRowing honors outstanding athletes, coaches, and volunteers who have made a great impact on our sport and recognizes their contributions through our Annual Awards program.
To submit a nomination for 2024, please email the name of the nominee, name of the person submitting the nomination, the award for which the person is being nominated, and a brief description (500 words or less) of the nominees’ credentials and why they are deserving of the award to: brett.johnson@usrowing.org.
Nominations are due Wednesday, October 23, 2024.
Below is a list of awards and the criteria for consideration.
Criteria: Awarded to a member of the rowing community in the U.S. who has rendered conspicuous service to, or accomplished extraordinary feats in, rowing. It is the highest honor USRowing can bestow.
Selectors: USRowing Board of Directors
Past Winners:
2023 – Fred Schoch
2022 – Matt Smith
2021 – Larry Gluckman
2020 – Award not given due to COVID-19
2019 – Christopher I. Blackwall
2018 – David A. Grant
2017 – Jim Joy
2016 – Kris Korzeniowski
2015 – Steve Gladstone
2014 – Tony Johnson
2013 – Rescinded
2012 – Stan Pocock
2011 – Harry Parker
2010 – Frank Cunningham
2009 – Hart and Gillian Perry
2008 – Mike Teti
2007 – Not Awarded
2006 – Not Awarded
2005 – Not Awarded
2004 – Clayton Chapman
2003 – Not Awarded
2002 – Jack Frailey
1995-2001 – Not Awarded
1994 – Anita DeFrantz
1993 – George Pocock
1992 – Ernestine Bayer
Criteria: Awarded to an outstanding individual who represents the ideals that Jack Kelly exemplified: superior achievements in rowing, service to amateur athletics, and success in their chosen profession, thereby serving as an inspiration to American rowers.
Selectors: USRowing Board of Directors
Past Winners:
2023 – Ron Chen
2022 – Bruce Beall
2021 – Kate Johnson
2020 – Award not given due to COVID-19
2019 – Judy Geer
2018 – Mitch Tamkin
2017 – John Chatzky
2016 – Bill Jurgens
2015 – Ginny Gilder
2014 – Todd Jesdale
2013 – Fritz Hagerman
2012 – Mike Knopp
2011 – Bill Stowe
2010 – Not Awarded
2009 – Vincent J. Ventura
2008 – Finn Wentworth
2007 – Finn Caspersen
2006 – Andrew Sudduth
2005 – Anne Martin
2004 – Dr. Jo Hannafin
2003 – Not Awarded
2002 – Julian Wolf
2001 – John P. Cooke
2000 – Jack Franklin
1999 – Clayton Chapman
1998 – Kent Mitchell
1997 – Dr. Tim Hosea
1996 – Martha S. Ferguson
1995 – Richard Cashin
1994 – Peter and Dick Dreissigacker
1993 – Charles P. Colgan
1992 – Jack Frailey
1991 – Anita DeFrantz
1990 – William M. Hollenback, Jr.
1989 – Hart Perry
1988 – Charles S. Butt
1987 – Horace E. Davenport
1986 – Thomas Keller
Criteria: Awarded to an individual or organization achieving measurable success in expanding diversity opportunities in rowing.
Selectors: USRowing Board of Directors
Past Winners:
2023 – Steady State Network
2022 – Richard Butler
2021 – St. Benedict's Prep
2020 – Award not given due to COVID-19
2019 – Philadelphia City Rowing
2018 – Jenn Gibbons
2017 – Arshay Cooper
2016 – Juliana LoBiondo
2015 – Judd Anderson
2014 – Oakland Strokes
2013 – Chicago Training Center
2012 – RowLA
2011 – Row New York
Criteria: Awarded to an individual or organization achieving measurable success in expanding rowing opportunities for those with physical and intellectual disabilities.
Selectors: USRowing Board of Directors
Past Winners:
2023 – Unity Boat Club
2022 – Angela Madsen
2021 – Paralympic Games PR3 Mixed Four with Coxswain (Karen Petrik, John Tanguay, Charley Nordin, Dani Hansen, and Allie Reilly)
2020 – Award not given due to COVID-19
2019 – Patrick Johnson
2018 – Pat Tirone
2017 – Jeff McGinnis
2016 – Mark McAndrew
2015 – Ellen Minzner
2014 – Judy Morrison
2013 – Mark Baiada
2012 – Oksana Masters and Rob Jones
2011 – Isabel Bohn
Criteria: Awarded to honor an individual who has made significant and outstanding commitments in support of rowing.
Selector: USRowing Board of Directors
Past Winners:
2023 – Bill Manning
2022 – Margot Zalkind Mayor
2021 – Katalin Kariko
2020 – Award not given due to COVID-19
2019 – Chuck Pieper
2018 – Beth Sala Covin
2017 – T. Gary Rogers
2016 – Peter Wilhelm
2015 – Jack Galloway
2014 – Ted Kakas
2013 – Martha Schumaker
2012 – Dick Bell
2011 – Yan and Olga Vengerovskiy
2010 – Albin Moser
2009 – Not Awarded
2008 – Amanda Kraus
2007 – Marc Nowak
2006 – Chip Davis
2005 – Gary Caldwell
2004 – Ed Hewitt
2003 – Lynn Shannon
2002 – William Fritz
2001 – Clete Graham
2000 – John Garnjost
1990 – Charles Colgan
1989 – Peter Gardner
1985 – William M. Hollenback, Jr.
1982 – Jack H. Frailey
1981 – Charles S. Butt
1980 – Ernestine L. Bayer
1978 – W. Hart Perry, Jr.
1977 – Julian Wolf
1976 – Fred L. Emerson, Jr.
1975 – George Y. Pocock
1974 – Horace E. Davenport
1973 – William J. Knecht
1972 – Jack T. Franklin
1971 – Ernest H. Bayer
1970 – John J. Sulger
Criteria: Awarded to an outstanding individual who emulates Clayton Chapman's 30-year stewardship of the Eastern Sprints and IRA Championships. This person will have consistently served behind the scenes in unrecognized, but important roles, in staging a regatta. The individual may be an athlete, coach, referee, administrator, volunteer or regatta organizer.
Selector: USRowing Board of Directors
Past Winners:
2023 – Dorothy Lazor
2022 – Leslie Pfeil
2021 – Brice Crossley
2020 – Award not given due to COVID-19
2019 – Schuylkill Navy River Restoration Committee
2018 – Mitch Budman
2017 – Jim Buckalew
2016 – Polly Whiteside
2015 – Harry Nyce
2014 – Bob Whitford
2013 – Kathy Frederick
2012 – Tim Royalty
2011 – Not Awarded
2010 – Jack St. Clair
2009 – Not Awarded
2008 – Not Awarded
2007 – Allen Eubanks
2006 – Eric and Deborah Stoll
2005 – Jon Smart
2004 – Edward "Ted" Phoenix
2003 – Lee West
2002 – Al Wachlin
2001 – William Leavitt
Criteria: Awarded in recognition of outstanding contributions to men's rowing and/or to an outstanding man in rowing.
Selectors: USRowing Board of Directors
Past Winners:
2023 – Marc Oria
2022 – Dave O'Neill
2021 – Arshay Cooper
2020 – Award not given due to COVID-19
2019 – Charlie Hamlin
2018 – Steve Hargis
2017 – Randy Benderson
2016 – Gavin White
2015 – Gregg Hartsuff
2014 – H.F. "Gerry" Lenfest
2013 – Michael Callahan
2012 – Rob Jones
2011 – Andrew Campbell
2010 – Bill Engman
2009 – Not Awarded
2008 – Tom Terhaar
2007 – Conn Findlay
2006 – Not awarded
2005 – Rescinded
2004 – Men's Olympic Gold Medal 8+
2003 – Not awarded
2002 – Not awarded
2001 – Jason Read
1998-2000 – Not awarded
1997 – Curtis Jordan
Criteria: Awarded in recognition of outstanding contributions to women's rowing and/or to an outstanding woman in rowing.
Selectors: USRowing Board of Directors
Past Winners:
2023 – Ellen Minzner
2022 – Carol Schoenecker
2021 – Olympic Lightweight Women's Double Sculls (Michelle Sechser and Molly Reckford)
2020 – Award not given due to COVID-19
2019 – Chris Ernst
2018 – Nicole Marek
2017 – Yaz Farooq
2016 – Tessa Spillane
2015 – Megan Kalmoe
2014 – Joan (Lind) Van Blom
2013 – Sandy Armstrong
2012 – 2012 U.S. Olympic Women's Eight
2011 – Mayrene Earle
2010 – Joanne Wright
2009 – Not Awarded
2008 – 1984 U.S. Olympic Women's Eight
2007 – John and Phoebe Murphy
2006 – Lori Dauphiny
2005 – Jan Harville
2004 – Women's Olympic Silver Medal Eight
2003 – Not Awarded
2002 – Nancy Den Besten
2001 – Not Awarded
2000 – Martha's Moms
1999 – Holly Metcalf
1997 – Dee Ashbaugh
1996 – Not Awarded
1995 – Paula Oyer
1994 – The Women of Washington (Carol Brown, Jan Harville, Jean Laframboise, Eleanor McElvaine)
1993 – The City of Chattanooga
1992 – ZLAC Rowing Club
1991 – Hope Barnes
1990 – Holly Hatton
1989 – Sue Ela
1988 – Not Awarded
1987 – Margie McHugh
1986 – Anita L. DeFrantz
1985 – Elizabeth Hills O'Leary
1984 – Patricia Pinkerton
1983 – Debbie Ayars
1982 – Elizabeth O'Leary
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