UCO To Add Women's Rowing Team
AP - 6/26/2007 11:45 AM - Updated 6/26/2007 11:49 AM
EDMOND, Okla. (AP) _ The University of Central Oklahoma will add a women's rowing team to its athletic department.

UCO will use part of a $3 million donation from Sonic founder Troy Smith and his wife Dolly to build a boathouse along the Oklahoma River in Oklahoma City.

UCO President Roger Webb says plans are for the team to begin competing next spring.

Central Oklahoma joins the University of Oklahoma in adding women's rowing to its list of varsity sports.

Are they going to share a boathouse with OU, or are we going to have three of them?

Holy cow...but if it is cool as Chesapeake, then bring it on!

To my knowledge, they don't share boat houses. It would be like two teams sharing the same locker room.

Philadelphia has their boathouse row.
http://www.boathouserow.org/pix/johnmaxbhr.jpg

After core to shore is coming along in a decade
or so, to have that stretch of shoreline be littered with
multiple boathouses and become a destination for
the sport would be a very good development........

The more, the better, baby!

I was just at the Philly boathouse row about a month ago, pretty impressive although as you showed, it is more historical looking. I don't think that look would work in a newer city like OKC. I like the sleek, modern styling of our boathouse(s).

Glad to hear more boathouses coming online, we could use about a half dozen at least.

UCO must be looking at adding another men's sport. Pres. Roger Webb really believes that the key to growing UCO into the state's next comprehensive university is notoriety through athletics... hence the blind eye turned to the recent and continuing athletics rules violations.

__________________
It's a friendlier OKCTalk!

I just received this from OU:




OU TO ADD WOMEN'S ROWING TO
INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS

< back to News Headlines

University of Oklahoma President David L. Boren today announced at the May Regents meeting that with the assistance of Oklahoma City civic leaders Aubrey K. McClendon and Clayton I. Bennett, OU will add women’s rowing to its intercollegiate athletics program. The announcement of the addition of the new sport was made today at the OU Board of Regents’ meeting.

McClendon and Bennett have worked with the Riverfront Redevelopment Authority and with the OU Athletics Department on the addition of the sport. They have both also been involved in private fund raising for a new boathouse to be constructed on the banks of the Oklahoma River for the sport. McClendon has made a lead gift of $1 million toward the project, and another $1 million will come from a group of private donors led by Bennett. It will be matched by $2 million in Athletics Department bonds to complete the $4 million facility.

“The University of Oklahoma is extremely excited to add this new sport to its athletics program,” said OU President David L. Boren. “We are grateful to Aubrey and Clay for their leadership in this effort.

“The University also is excited that the Sooner flag will be flying prominently along the Oklahoma River in downtown Oklahoma City, which over the next few years will become one of the most dynamic places in the entire state.”

“Clay and I are very pleased to help encourage further boathouse development along the Oklahoma River. Women’s rowing is becoming an important intercollegiate sport throughout the country, and now our city will be part of that experience,” said McClendon. “The OU boathouse will be designed by Rand Elliott along a new Boathouse Row that is developing just east of the Chesapeake Boathouse. OU’s commitment to a first-class new boathouse will help achieve our dream of developing Oklahoma City into the premier rowing venue in the United States. In doing so, Oklahoma City will be able to attract the most competitive rowing teams and spectators to participate in outstanding events, making Oklahoma City a true destination for worldwide visitors.”

OU’s commitment to adding women’s rowing to its intercollegiate athletic program represents a major boost to this growing sport. The addition of this sport is good news for women student-athletes, OU and, importantly, the advancement of quality development along the Oklahoma River,” commented Clayton I. Bennett, Chairman of the Oklahoma City Boathouse Foundation.

“Bringing more college athletic events to Oklahoma City is a specific goal of ours, so obviously this is a giant step forward,” said Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett. “The Oklahoma River is fulfilling every dream we’ve had. Our thanks to Joe Castiglione and the University of Oklahoma.”

“We are excited to welcome the University of Oklahoma as our neighbor on Oklahoma City’s emerging boathouse row and as a partner in our efforts to develop the Oklahoma River into one of the world’s premier urban aquatic venues,” said Mike Knopp, Executive Director of the Oklahoma City Boathouse Foundation.

“Aubrey McClendon and Clay Bennett have helped pave the way for a new chapter in our program,” said OU Athletics Director Joe Castiglione. “I want to personally express my appreciation as well for Aubrey McClendon’s gift to the project. Not only does this open more opportunities for student-athletes, but it creates another wonderful presence for us in Oklahoma City.”

The addition of women’s rowing will increase Oklahoma’s Athletics Department programs to a total of 21 sports.

“The addition of this sport further demonstrates our very deep commitment to gender equity in the sports opportunities we offer,” Castiglione said.

The boat house, which will be located on the north side of the river, directly east of the Chesapeake boat house, will serve as the competitive hub for the team.

“The presence of the University of Oklahoma on the Oklahoma River could not come at a more ideal time,” said Pat Downes, Director of Development for the Oklahoma City Riverfront Redevelopment Authority. “In the state’s centennial year and with the Olympics fast approaching, the presence of women’s rowing opens the door to a wide variety of very exciting possibilities. OU clearly has the largest concentration of its graduates and alums in central Oklahoma, so the opportunity for the Sooner faithful to gather on the Oklahoma River adds a dimension to Regatta Park that we have not yet seen. The opportunity for intra-regional competition is exciting and with OU’s help, I could see the possibility of bidding to host post-season championships.

“The excellent thing about this development is that the river is so close to very important venues in Oklahoma City, including the State Capitol, the OU Health Sciences Center, downtown and Bricktown. We have possibilities that we’ve only begun to explore at this stage.”

The athletics department plans to initiate the new program with the recruitment of a coach and staff during the 2007/08 academic year to begin the process of establishing the program and building a roster. Scholarships will then be phased in over a two- to three-year period.

Completion of the boathouse is expected by fall of 2009.

This is the first sports addition since 1996, when women’s soccer joined the program.

BTW, the Chesapeake facility cost $3.5 million and not only is it beautiful (as well all know) it has lots of extras, like meeting and function rooms, decks, etc.

So, OU's $4 million should yield something comparable. And at least $3 million for a UCO facility. Is OCU going to stick with Chesapeake?

That area is going to be really special and can soon be used for all types of events, not just rowing.

This is one of those things you could never predict... Who would have considered this when they first proposed turning that ditch of weeds into a real river?

Rand Elliott gets another shot! Woot!

Hopefully this time Rand will design the next boathouse to withstand Oklahoma winds. FYI for those of you who didn't know, the Chesapeake Boathouse he designed, the masts out front were not designed to deal with 30+mph winds and they blew over. Luckily, they blew in the grass and not on top or through the building.

I guess it is time for me to venture into Bass Pro and get a boat.

The more boathouses just mean that the Oklahoma River is thriving. Also, the more activity down there, the better!

Hopefully OCU builds their own boathouse and a few more 'private' ones pop up, as well...

Those problems are usually an error on the part of whatever engineer did the calcs.

That's good to know. I personally like Rand and am glad to see him designing more of the boathouses. It will help establish a consistent look.

Somewhat off topic but: I wish UCO would use some of that 3 million to plop a sonic in our foodcourt. Chickfila and Blimpie just do not cut it. haha ok I am done.

A river needs as many Boathouses that the teams need to function competitively. Do you think we will move forward in the Olympic community (USA Rowing World Challenge this October) unless we think progressively?

Astute observation re: the boathouse oars "blowing over." that would be the engineering aspect of the design, not the architect's design.

The OK River will support as many Boathouses as there are organizations with rowing clubs which use it to train, etc. As long as they are not using tax dollars, why would anyone complain about encouraging a sport that is bringing Olympic-level athletes to Oklahoma?

OCU's boathouse: First of three more

By Bryan Dean

Oklahoma City University will build a $10 million boathouse along the bank of the Oklahoma River, the first in a series of three collegiate boathouses which city leaders hope will make Oklahoma City a world destination for rowing, officials said Monday.

The OCU boathouse, which should be built by fall 2009, will be just east of the Lincoln Boulevard bridge near the finish line for rowing events such as this weekend's Head of the Oklahoma Centennial Regatta.

Rand Elliot, lead architect for the Chesapeake Boat

house at Regatta Park, also will design the OCU boat

house.

The OCU boathouse will feature a training center which OCU officials hope will lure the world's best rowers. OCU, through the efforts of rowing coach Mike Knopp, has led the development of rowing on the Oklahoma River.

Knopp, who also serves as director of the Head of the Oklahoma City Regatta, said the training center will serve more than just OCU rowers.

"We'd love to have teams from all over the world choose to come to Oklahoma City not only to race but also to train,” Knopp said. "The way we have planned and designed this facility, when you take it in combination with the Chesapeake Boathouse, it is going to rival anything else in the world.”

City officials said the University of Oklahoma and the University of Central Oklahoma are planning to build boathouses along the river bank in an area city leaders will call "boathouse row.” Further details about the OU and UCO boathouses have not been released.

OCU President Tom McDaniel said all three universities are coordinating to build boathouses which will work in conjunction with the Chesapeake Boathouse to make the Oklahoma River a more popular rowing venue.

"It's inspirational to me that all three of our universities have been cooperative,” McDaniel said "We are each looking for facilities that would not compete or duplicate each other, but be compatible.”

OCU's boathouse will include indoor seating with a view of the regatta finish line and an outdoor performing arts area.

It also will include a storage area for OCU's growing varsity rowing program. "The Chesapeake Boathouse has been open a year and a half and it's already at the point where it is full,” Knopp said. "With the expansion of our collegiate programs, the need is definitely there for more boathouses.”

McDaniel and Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett credited Knopp for leading the development of rowing along the river. But Knopp said making the river into a world-class venue would not be possible without the cooperation of OU, UCO and other community leaders.

"We believe everyone working together can create a venue that would far surpass anything that we could do individually,” Knopp said. "We see each boathouse really complementing one another.”

Elliot will also be involved in the design of the OU and UCO boathouses, city officials said.

Cornett said it is no exaggeration to predict Oklahoma City could become the pre-eminent rowing destination in the world.

There are some nasty comments about this over on Newsok.

I'm glad to see not only more boathouses and development, but buildings of real architectural interest and quality:

Dead. Sexy.

It's definitely interesting. The glass front is cool...nice how its got the whole boat look to the building.

If that's a $10 Million project, it sort of makes me sad to see what UCO is going to do for only $3 Million.

I agree. It will be great to have a showcase of modern architecture along the river as people travel here from all over to come to these competitions.

But PLEASE, PLEASE plant a bunch of trees!

Besides just rowing, that area where the CHK boathouse is located and others will be built is a great asset to the community in general.

There is a very nice park and pavilion and the bike path winds through there... And I bet the other structures will be available for events just like CHK.

And of course, this will really help draw events and other activities to the river for the benefit of all.

I really hope they can find a way to better bridge the south end of the canal with this area because last time I was in town and walked through that area, it was very difficult to get between them.