Men's Heavy Rowing | August 03, 2022

PHILADELPHIA – Bryan Volpenhein, the Nicholas B. Paumgarten Head Coach of Men's Heavyweight Rowing at Penn, has resigned his position effective at the end of August. Bryan's wife Sarah Trowbridge has been named the Head Women's Rowing Coach at Oklahoma and the Volpenhein family will be relocating to Oklahoma this fall.

"I want to thank the entire Penn rowing community for all the support and encouragement they have given me, our staff and our athletes during my time here," Volpenhein said. "I am heartbroken to leave at such an important time for Penn Rowing, but this is such an exciting opportunity for Sarah that we could not pass it up. I will forever be grateful for what this amazing group of athletes, alumni and staff have done for me and what we were able to build through some unique times in the history of this team.

"This team is poised to do great things and will continue to need your support and enthusiasm. I am confident that the momentum will continue to build and will lead to fast boats. I'm very sorry I won't be a part of it, but I will be cheering loudly from the grandstands. I feel lucky to have been a part of this community even if our time together was cut short. Thank you again for everything. I will miss you all more than I can say." 

Hired in August 2019, Volpenhein guided the program through the pandemic and assisted with fundraising for the renovated boathouse project. In his first full season on the water in 2021-22, his program had two student-athletes receive invites to the US Rowing U23 Sculling camp and eight student-athletes named IRCA Scholar-Athletes.

"We are disappointed to have Volp leave us but understand the amazing opportunity for Sarah and the Volpenhein family," said Alanna Shanahan, the T. Gibbs Kane, Jr. W'69 Director of Athletics and Recreation. "Volp has done a great job in setting the foundation for future success for the men's heavyweight program and we are appreciative of his efforts. We are confident that we will be able to attract a high-level candidate to lead our program as we open a renovated boathouse and build on the positive momentum of the last year."

Volpenhein is a three-time Olympian who stroked the United States to a gold medal in 2004. He is also the only two-time US Rowing Male Athlete of the Year.

A national search for Volpenhein's successor will begin immediately.