Men's Heavy Rowing | August 05, 2019

PHILADELPHIA – Bryan Volpenhein, a three-time Olympian who stroked the United States to a gold medal in 2004, has been named the Nicholas B. Paumgarten Head Coach of Men's Heavyweight Rowing at the University of Pennsylvania, the T. Gibbs Kane, Jr. W'69 Director of Athletics and Recreation Dr. M. Grace Calhoun announced today. Volpenhein arrives at Penn with high-level experience as the United States National Team Coach, where he selected and trained the men's four for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games and led three boats to gold medals during international competition.

"We are extremely excited to welcome Bryan to Penn to lead our men's heavyweight rowing program," Calhoun said. "His athletic career as a gold medalist and three-time Olympian speaks for itself, and his national-level coaching experience will allow us to attract and develop outstanding student-athletes. The future of Penn men's heavyweight rowing is bright under Bryan's leadership." 

The only two-time US Rowing Male Athlete of the Year, Volpenhein represented the United States in the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games. In addition to stroking the men's eight to the gold medal in Athens, the first for the United States in 40 years, he also was the stroke of the men's eight that won bronze in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Volpenhein was a ten-time member of the United States National Team.

"I am incredibly honored to be chosen as the next head coach for Penn men's heavyweight rowing," Volpenhein said. "This program has a long and rich history of competitive crews and has been an integral part of Philadelphia's rowing community. I want to thank Dr. M. Grace Calhoun and the rest of the Penn staff for believing in me to lead the men's heavyweight program. I am very much looking forward to working with Colin (Farrell) and Wes (Ng) and the rest of the rowing staff and alumni to create a strong team for the future."

Volpenhein served as the men's national team coach for six years from 2013-18, selecting and preparing priority boats for competition at World Cups, World Championships and the Rio Olympics. In addition, he was the national men's lightweight head coach from 2010-13, selecting and qualifying the men's lightweight four for the 2012 London Olympic Games. As the national team coach, three of his boats won gold medals at the World Rowing Championship or World Rowing Cup, with another four earning silver or bronze.

Most recently, Volpenhein was the head coach for the San Diego Rowing Club men's varsity program, where he prepared high school athletes for regional and national championships. He also spent one year as the technical director for the men's rowing program at the University of San Diego. The Cincinnati, Ohio native has additional experience as head coach for the Oklahoma City National High Performance Center from 2010-13 and head coach of the Pocock Rowing Center in Seattle from 2008-10.

"The selection of Bryan Volpenhein as Penn men's heavyweight rowing coach is an important move for the program, as Bryan brings elements of proven world-class rowing, national team coaching combined with compassion and commitment to continue the boathouse collaboration between all three programs," Daphne Klausner, CGS'88 G'93 PAR'18, Friends of Penn Rowing co-board chair said.

A national leader in the sport, Volpenhein served on the US Rowing Board of Directors from 2004-08, focusing on selection procedures of the National and Olympic rowing teams.

Originally a walk-on to the men's club rowing program at Ohio State, he graduated with a bachelor's degree in philosophy in 2002. He also earned a culinary arts degree from the Art Institute of Seattle in 2007.