Cal Men's Rowing marks 150 years of grit, glory, and tradition

OAKLAND, Calif. -- This year marks the 150th anniversary of Cal Men's Rowing, the oldest sport at the University of California, Berkeley.

"Its a huge milestone anniversary for the team," said head coach Scott Frandsen. "The Boat Club was started in 1875 and 150 years later, here we are with all the history and success that we've had."

That tradition of success includes three Olympic gold medals for the United States (1928, 1932, 1948) and 19 national championships, most recently in 2023.

For Frandsen, who rowed for Cal before competing in three Olympics for the Canadian national team, the programs strength has always been rooted in its people. "Our older alums, they're still getting together, you know, 65, 70 years later and talking about their stories," Frandsen said. "It gets into yo