The Daily Pennsylvanian :: Rowing | Two crew members abandon Penn ship

If Penn Rowing hopes to soon reassert itself at the top of the Ivy League, it will have to do so with two new coaches.

With both lightweight head coach Mike Irwin and heavyweight assistant coach Eric Carcich leaving their respective positions, the program has lost two key members of its crew.

Irwin -- hired from Yale in 2002 --- opted to resign in order to move to Manchester, N.H., with his wife, Dana, to be closer to her family. The coach accepted a job at the Essex Rowing Club in North Andover, Mass., as its operations officer and junior boys coach.

Carcich, meanwhile, left the program after three years at Penn. Also hired from Yale - after six years as a freshmen lightweight coach - Carcich resigned for undisclosed reasons and declined to comment.

Irwin is optimistic about his new position.

"It was a personal and family decision for us," the Michigan native said. "[Family is] the one thing that Philadelphia doesn't have for us, [though] we loved being in Philly."

In his first year at Penn, Irwin led the Quakers to an eighth-place finish at the EARC Sprints, the Red and Blue's best finish at the event since their seventh-place finish in 1997. But perhaps the lights' greatest achievement under the direction of Irwin came in 2005, when Penn took the bronze medal at the IRA Regatta.

Though Irwin described the 2005 finish as his team's "best result," he was prouder of the simple achievement of filling five boats this season - with a first, second, and third varsity eight and a first and second freshman eight.

"[The bronze medal is] probably the thing that people care about the most but certainly this year was significant for me in terms of finally having a full roster of athletes," Irwin said. "It took me longer than I wanted but I was excited that we finally pulled the roster up."

Still, the coach expressed regret that he did not accomplish more as Penn coach or see his plan through.

"I wanted to be able to bring more to the guys and I'm disappointed that I couldn't get them to the medal stand enough in my time here," Irwin said. "But I think that the team is primed to be able to do that [with] a new voice and new direction."

"I'm excited to see what that new coach does," he continued. "I think he'll have a great opportunity because the guys are committed and worked really hard this year and it was a young group."

After speaking with Senior Associate Director of Athletics Mary DiStanislao, Irwin has a clear idea of what Penn's goals are in a coaching search that has already begun.

"They're very eager to bring in someone who can put Penn rowing at the top [of the Ivy League] where they want it to be," Irwin said.

"I'm going to be having fun watching from afar and hoping this program does really well," he added.

Comments (16)

Perhaps Fred will take their lead and also leave town? Willie, fire up the bus!!

carcich got fired

Is Irwin really a first rate coach? I will give him mediocre at best! I know the lightweights are not the hot topic, but the results during his 8 years were not much better than his predecessors. Sure he won bronze at IRA's in 2005, but outside of that how many races did he win?

After speaking with Senior Associate Director of Athletics Mary DiStanislao, Irwin has a clear idea of what Penn's goals are in a coaching search that has already begun. "They're very eager to bring in someone who can put Penn rowing at the top [of the Ivy League] where they want it to be," HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

I always liked Irwin. He was a good guy and definitely brought honor to the team. I must agree with Chris Reece. Mike, enjoy NH and best of luck. On another note, Mary is pretty much the anti-christ. She needs to leave as well.

I'm with Chris too. Mike's a good coach and a good guy. He worked with us at Fairmount Rowing Association and accomplished the impossible: He did the equivalent of herding a bunch of cats by organizing the masters' rowing group. I wish him well in NH.

Mike - Best of luck in your new endeavors. The Essex Rowing Club has picked up a first rate coach. You were always a class act. Cheers!

Don't forget: http://www.dailypennsylvanian.com/home/index.cfm?event=displayArticleComments&ustory;_id=ea637dfd-4101-4194-9b79-4afc206717af

Carcich resigned for undisclosed reasons and declined to comment.

carcichwasfired

Once again, these musical chairs and revolving door of the rowing programs signify one thing: The lack of effective leadership by Steve Bilsky and his band of thugs who run the Athletic Dept. They are overmatched. Not to mention, they know NOTHING about competitive rowing. SHAME ON BILSKY

[QUOTE id="07d2fecb-5bb0-4214-a96b-04e743bca17c"]Mike - Best of luck in your new endeavors. The Essex Rowing Club has picked up a first rate coach. You were always a class act. Cheers![/QUOTE] What's the best guess as to the real reason Eric Carcich left?

Are the only people posting and/or care about any news regarding the crew program former and current players?

[QUOTE id="c3e988d1-095a-4033-bdde-fb50b784e154"]Are the only people posting and/or care about any news regarding the crew program former and current players?[/QUOTE] Alum '06 - With respect, what's the point of your question? I'm a proud alum, sports fan, and non crew member adding my posts, because the issues underlying Penn Rowing are present to varying degrees in most of Penn's other sports. My observations of successful programs, regardless of specific sport, boil down to the following, which are clearly absent in Penn Rowing: * Athletic Director must insure hiring of the best coaches. * Coach must have the necessary vision of a successful program, and the skills to implement it. * Coach must have the ability to sell his program to the very best Ivy qualifying recruits from anywhere on earth, and provide a team environment where members can grow and contribute to their optimal best. For a paradigm at Penn, note Coach Erin Brower of Women's Lacrosse. * Coach is a leader in his/her sport not follower. If best athletes are not in traditional recruiting area (eg. squash players from prep schools) go where they are. Princeton's #1 squash player for last 8 years has been foreign. If rowing recruits have dried up in New Jersey, has Penn coaching ever considered recruiting in places like Canada, England, Australia, New Zealand? Penn Rowing clearly has among the most passionate posters, and my sincerest respect for their outcries to the demise of this storied program. What concerns me is their possible discouragement and future indifference. That would be fatal! EN

Dear Fred, Get out, and stay away! Oh wait, the rowers mutinied against you! Bye. Don't let the door hit you on your way out. -BF [QUOTE id="07d2fecb-5bb0-4214-a96b-04e743bca17c"]Mike - Best of luck in your new endeavors. The Essex Rowing Club has picked up a first rate coach. You were always a class act. Cheers![/QUOTE]

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