URI Crew Club

URI Crew Club The official Facebook for the University of Rhode Island Rowing Club The team is open to anyone willing to make the rigorous commitment.

University of Rhode Island Rowing is a successful co-ed club rowing program that competes in the New England region against some of the best club and varsity teams in the country. The team was founded in 1965 by Math Professor Ralp Kopperman (Columbia '62) with the help of a student Bill Sonzogni (URI '67). Since then, the URI Crew Club has been teaching young men and women about rowing, teamwork,

responsibility, commitment, competition and success. The club program is open to all URI students who are interested in trying the sport. Many of our rowers are novices, the program has a history of taking inexperienced athletes and making them into champions. No less than 5 athletes over the history of the program have gone on to represent the United States in International and Olympic competition. The team trains throughout the school year, from September to June. URI competes in a few, "Head - style" races in the fall (Ex. Head of the Charles). However the real racing season runs in the spring from late March to early June. Schools on our regular racing schedule are as follows; UNH, Boston College, Bates, WPI, UMass, Coast Guard, Trinity, and Wesleyan. The team competes every year at The New England Championships in Worcester, MA in early May and various other regattas, including the ECAC National Invitational, ACRA National Championship, and the Aberdeen Dad Vail's Regatta. The team rows on the Narrow River out of the Campanella Rowing Center. The rowing center houses two spacious boat bays, a workshop, erg room, weight room, conference room, men's and women's shower/changing room, and a coach's apartment. The Narrow River offers a 2000 meter, four lane race course, as well as an additional 3000 meters of rowable water further downstream. The program is partially subsidized by the University Student Senate and Department of Campus Recreation. However, most of the financial support comes from generous alumni, parents and friends. Because of the support from Alumni, Parents & Friends, the team is blessed with a great rowing facility, good equipment, and a committed coaching staff.

Angelina Luongo, Chronically Online Patient Zero, 978Sorry about the long hiatus, I was trying to come up with nice thin...
08/02/2026

Angelina Luongo, Chronically Online Patient Zero, 978

Sorry about the long hiatus, I was trying to come up with nice things to say about Angie. Just playing. There are plenty of nice things to say about Angie, but her singing/dancing/stage presence leaves much to be desired, although you mole people seemed to be moved enough by her two-left-legged “dance” and her lobotomized rendition of “American Pie”, delivered flat as the rug that was pulled from under me, to vote for her performances instead of mine and win her team the ergathon. I will not soon forget. You know who you are. Incidentally, in addition to being a victim of treachery, I was also the social media manager, so I also know who you are.

Angie joined up her sophomore spring, climbing the ranks of a large women’s novice class quickly and taking a spot in our Women’s Novice Four, a tough act to follow from the gold-snatching group the year prior. They rose to the challenge and snagged silver instead, which was arguably more impressive given the champions that year were four Amazonian Warriors cosplaying as college students in Missouri. As varsity, she kept the momentum going, racing in the four and the pair. In her final season, the women’s and men’s team decided to make Knecht Cup special, taking double silvers in the big 8’s. Angie has been a big dog on the erg, taking boathouse leaderboard spots on both the 2k and 5k since she walked on.

At first glance, one would be right to assume on account of her faint scent of lobster and general coastal Masshole disposition that Angie’s all about sea life, earning a B.S. in Aquaculture and Fisheries Science and a Marine Technical Cert on the side, but she is not done digging a debt-shaped hole. She will be following that up with a masters in Environmental Science and Management, with a concentration on sustainable systems.

“I am thankful for all my amazing friends and all the memories made. We are all there to pull as hard as possible, even when it isn’t pretty when we do it, moments of wanting to not hop back on the erg, but doing so for the team and to get better. The team has taught me is that I am a vastly superior breakdancer than Ian.”

Evyn Anderson, The Grim Reader, Former Hamster OwnerI’m a little perplexed that Evyn didn’t respond to my text asking he...
06/20/2026

Evyn Anderson, The Grim Reader, Former Hamster Owner

I’m a little perplexed that Evyn didn’t respond to my text asking her to answer some questions to quote her on in this post. It says it was delivered, but I know for a fact she couldn’t have left me on read. Alphabetically by last name, Evyn is first up of the graduates, but she is probably unaware since she hasn’t mastered that stretch of the alphabet yet. Evyn was cursed with a contentious relationship with letters the moment her doctor mistakenly typed a Y instead of an A on her birth certificate. I mean, the writing was on the wall with that one, not that that meant much to Evyn. Okay, it’s out of my system.

Evyn is tied for most decorated member of the team. She began medal hunting in the Spring of freshman year with her novice four. They won so much gold that it would be quicker to list the regattas they didn’t win, so I’m gonna do that. It was Knecht Cup. The following Fall, Evyn was part of a four that medaled at two Fall regattas and took fifth at the Head of the Charles after being seeded at a disrespectful 33rd. Evyn has been a steadfast starboard as long as an oar has been in her hands, going between bow and 7 seat, which all starboards know is the real stroke seat. Eventually, Tim stopped kidding himself and made her the actual stroke seat this semester, earning the WV8 a Knecht Cup silver. Evyn came to the team with a shocking tenacity, being known freshman year to literally pass out on the erg during workouts. Gangster. Evyn’s space in the top boat every year has never been challenged, and for good reason.

The final Anderson to walk the boathouse halls has finally graduated, so we can all breathe a sigh of relief. Just kidding. With her degrees in Political Science and Entrepreneurship she will do great things, but hopefully those things don’t involve reading a speech aloud. Evyn, I will miss eating all the food you make and seeing your dog Mowgli and that hamster you, for the short time it was alive. What was his name again?

Hello to all incoming and current URI students! We hope your summer is going as well as ours. In case you don’t know us ...
06/17/2026

Hello to all incoming and current URI students! We hope your summer is going as well as ours. In case you don’t know us and this is your first time seeing one of our posts, we are the URI Club Crew Team, and we are looking for new members! We are a student led rowing organization that competes in many highly competitive races throughout the year, and we build a strong team culture every step along the way. The bonds we forge through trials and hardship are unmatched, and last a lifetime. Every year we push ourselves to the limit(and then some) in order to win races and be the best we can be. If you’re interested in joining a tight knit team that pushes each other to be the very best they can be, then I promise that you will find no place better than with us. Please fill out this form and we will get back to you ASAP! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdczhnooJGTwdQrmoQhcpTYxCQ3mNMRF1JLGVwceQQhmBDREg/viewform?usp=send_form

Norah Van Vranken, Ginger, Silas’ sisterAlthough Norah isn’t getting her marine affairs degree until next semester, I’ll...
06/06/2026

Norah Van Vranken, Ginger, Silas’ sister

Although Norah isn’t getting her marine affairs degree until next semester, I’ll make an exception because she’s as washed-up as the graduates and will be abroad in the backwards, nonsensical Nordscape of Iceland. Did you know Batman (6 letters) in Icelandic translates to Leðurblökumaðurinn (18 letters)? Better get that Duolingo streak started, girl.

Norah made history this year as the first woman president not to take maternity leave, a feat that will echo forever through the halls of URI Crew history. But truly, she put in a lot of thankless work to ensure a smooth operation the whole year and never complained. The schmuck in the chair next year will probably complain more, do less and expect twice the gratitude. Good luck to that bozo.

When Norah and my class joined crew, the women’s novice 4 in the year prior won national champs at ACRA. That’s a tough act to follow. But follow they did, and they pulled it off with equanimity (look it up after Duolingo, Norah), winning Patriot Cup, taking 4th in Dad Vails vs. D1 programs, and nearly clinching back-to-back ACRA titles. That 4 merged with the women’s V8 the next year, maintaining their strength despite losing great rowers, snagging silver at Dadvails in ‘25 and again at Knecht this year.

I first met Norah at a party freshman year, and I knew we were gonna be friends. As a kid, when I’d go to the zoo I’d spend the most time at the ape exhibits. I caught a nostalgic glimpse of the orangutans moseying around the enclosure when I saw her obscenely orange hair sway as she hobbled around the room socializing, knuckles to the floor, not unlike orangutans swaying between branches and hobbling across the forest floor. However, despite their similarities in stature and facial composition, empirical research suggests that one orangutan punch is roughly equal to 600 Norah punches. Once she tried to punch me and it healed me. Despite her pitiful attacks, she is still a decorated rower with times on the record board, and a model for any woman that walks through the bay doors and anyone that cares about contributing to the things important to them. Farewell, sister of Silas.

It’s like Tim said, this is gonna be a tough one. Congrats graduates and Raymond! Per URI Crew tradition, we will be sen...
05/29/2026

It’s like Tim said, this is gonna be a tough one. Congrats graduates and Raymond! Per URI Crew tradition, we will be sending you off with a post one by one, reviewing your athletic careers and identities as insultingly as possible. You guys are the best, and you will leave a graduate-shaped hole in this team and in my heart, but over the course of the next few weeks we will celebrate your time with us. Graduates, congrats, and underclassmen, I hope you were taking notes from these guys. GO RHODY!!!🎓🐏🥈🥇

Another fantastic year at national championship for URI Crew! We saw some amazing performances out of our boats this ye...
05/18/2026

Another fantastic year at national championship for URI Crew! We saw some amazing performances out of our boats this year despite the stiff competition from other crews. We saw some impressive rowing from not only our more experienced variety crews, but from our two novice boats as well, and we are preparing to crush the competition next year.

Following the stellar example set by the last three years of crews, our Women’s Novice Four excelled in their races, narrowly missing Grand Finals. They secured 5th in Petites, taking 11th for WN4 in the nation. As they transition from novice to varsity, they will only continue to train and improve.

Our Mens Varsity Pair put up some competitive numbers across their 2 days of racing, making it all the way to C final and overtaking 1st in a last second sprint.
Our Mens Novice group this year was strong, with 2 rowers nearly approaching the record boards and several more not far behind. The rest of boys put in hard work, making C finals and getting a big PR in their final race. With their promotion to varsity, the boys will fill up the vacuum the graduates leave in the varsity 8+ upcoming year.

To the surprise of no one, our Women’s Varsity 8 had some impressive races this weekend, pushing again all the way to the B final, beating out 8 other boats overall and securing another 10th place spot for their crew. It was a strong note to end on for the girls, seven of them saying goodbye to us this year. The underclassmen have been taking notes and will step in their stead next year.

Finally, our Men’s Varsity 8 showed us the result of all their months of long erg pieces, strict training, and hard practice by fighting through the 29 other crews against them to secure a spot in the D finals, where they pulled strong numbers numbers in the headwind and repped the team proudly.

None of our crews are finished yet, and we have a long summer ahead of us filled with rigorous training plans, many erg pieces, and more cardio than is reasonable. But when we return next year, we’ll be more ready than ever to win some races and challenge any crew that comes against us.

The 25’-26’ season’s swan song is upon us. Tomorrow marks our first day at national championships. When our trailer is ...
05/15/2026

The 25’-26’ season’s swan song is upon us. Tomorrow marks our first day at national championships. When our trailer is loaded up and we leave after our final race, we will have left everything out there on Melton Lake. All events will be comprehensively live-streamed via drone, so make sure to tune in. Results will also be available. Link in bio!

This year marks the URI Crew team’s 60th birthday! We have been around a long time and, with your help, we will be aroun...
04/28/2026

This year marks the URI Crew team’s 60th birthday! We have been around a long time and, with your help, we will be around a whole lot longer. Donate today to help us continue our tradition of excellence so we can battle crews across the country at ACRA national championship in Tennessee. Every dollar helps! Link in bio! GO RHODY!!!

04/28/2026

Today is the day. DAY OF GIVING IS LIVE! We appreciate all donations to get to our $30,000 goal. Without you, nationals is not possible. Use the link in the bio or stories to donate

Make sure to designate the gift to RhodyNow: Club Crew

04/28/2026

SPREAD THE WORD! Tomorrow, the URI Day of Giving kicks off! We need your help to make it to ACRA national championships in Tennessee. This team is a steam engine that runs on your generosity, and Oak Ridge, TN is a ways away. We are tremendously grateful for all of your support, both in the past and tomorrow. The link to donations is in bio! When you donate, make sure it is designated to Club Crew, located in the Campus Rec & Club Sports category. GO RHODY!!!

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697 Melton Lake Drive
Oak Ridge, TN
37830

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