Rowing is one of the oldest traditions in the world, yet it still tends to be one of the more underrated sports in the United States. As one of the older sports, many boathouses across the United States hold lots of history. The sport also requires athletes to be in top shape, as athletes need high lung capacities and virtually every single muscle in your body has to be in amazing shape. Because of this, the best college rowing teams have top facilities with many incredible amenities. Here are 7 of the top college rowing boathouses:
1. Boathouse Row: Philadelphia, PA
Boathouse Row is a series of 15 boathouses on the Schuylkill River that are home to colleges such as Drexel University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Le Salle University. The main event at Boathouse Row is when all of the boathouses light up every night.
- Drexel University rowers compete at the Bachelors Barge Club. This boathouse is the oldest continuously operated rowing club in the United States.
- The Burk-Bergman Boathouse is home to the UPenn rowing team. The boathouse was newly renovated last year and now has more space, new locker rooms, and new audio and video equipment.
- La Salle University rowers use the Fairmount Rowing Association as their college boathouse. This boathouse is also one of the oldest in the country.
2. Beckwith Boathouse: University of Iowa*
The Beckwith Boathouse at the University of Iowa was built in 2009 and is definitely one of the nicest college boathouses in the country. This boathouse is on the bank of the Iowa River and includes a large erg room, four large boat bays, a moving water rowing tank, a locker room, a training room, and a large multi-purpose room.
*The University of Iowa only has rowing as a varsity sport for women. The men's rowing team is a club sport.
3. Devon Boathouse: Oklahoma City University
Devon Boathouse is the boathouse for Oklahoma City University and the Oklahoma City National High Performance Center, meaning Oklahoma rowers have some of the best facilities in the world. The boathouse includes a rowing tank, an endless pool, strength and conditioning facilities, a high-performance training center, locker rooms, and four large boat bays.
4. Shea Rowing Center: Princeton University
Shea Rowing Center is home to the Princeton University Tigers. The boathouse is right on Lake Carnegie and officially opened in 2000. The building features a large erg room, a rowing tank, tons of boat storage, and much more.
5. Porter Boathouse: University of Wisconsin
The Porter Boathouse at the University of Wisconsin-Madison was built in 2005 and still holds as one of the finest in the country. This boathouse can fit more than 100 boats, it has team locker rooms and coaches offices, a catering kitchen, moving water rowing tanks, 3 training rooms, and outdoor terraces.
6. Irene Claudia Kroll Boathouse: University of Minnesota
The Kroll Boathouse at the University of Minnesota is one of the only boathouses in the country that is on campus. The boathouse is on the bank of the Mississippi River, which runs right through the campus. The facilities were built in 2007 and have a 35-seat erg room, indoor tank, locker rooms, laundry, coaches offices, and boat storage.
7. Gilder Boathouse: Yale University
Yale University's Gilder Boathouse was built in 2000 and is a stunning sight. The boathouse includes a large lounge area for athletes with a fireplace looking out on the water. The coaches have their offices and own lounge area in the boathouse as well.
Yale University started the very first college boat club in the United States in 1843. The Yale teams consistently have a top-10 finish at the NCAA Championships. Competing for Yale doesn't only mean access to top-notch facilities, but you will also row with some of the best college athletes in the country.