Dan Perkins Named Assistant/Freshman Heavyweight Rowing Coach
8/8/2006 7:30:00 AM | General, Heavyweight Rowing
Perkins has spent the past three years as freshman heavyweight coach and head of recruiting at M.I.T. His crews faced Columbia each year in the Alumni Cup regatta, the Engineers defeating both the Lion and Army freshmen this past spring.
In addition to his M.I.T. duties, he served as spring assistant coach at the Brooks School, and as a U.S. National Team assistant coach, guiding a quad toward the Under-23 World Championships last month.
Perkins was freshman coach at Tufts in 2001-02, leading the Jumbos to a record for wins, and helped Noble & Greenough School to an undefeated season in 1999.
“Dan Perkins is an impressive person,” said Mike Zimmer, Columbia's Director of Rowing and heavyweight head coach. “He brings a tremendous competitive background to the Columbia coaching staff, and I am confident his work ethic, determination and accomplishments will serve as a significant inspiration to all of our student-athletes, and especially to the freshmen he will be coaching.
“I look forward to working with Dan to continue driving Columbia heavyweight rowing forward.”
Perkins attended the Kent School, twice earning the Bishop Oar as a varsity oarsman. He went on to Dartmouth, where he captained the 1997 and 1998 Big Green heavyweights, and earned the Seymour Award. He graduated in 1998 with a B.A. in studio art. From 2001 to 2002, he attended Oxford University, gaining a master's degree in educational studies. While there, he rowed in the famous Boat Race, with the winning Oxford eight.
That was just one of many competitive experiences for the Sharon, Connecticut native. He earned three gold medals in the Canadian Henley with St. Catharine's Rowing Club, and a bronze medal in the 1993 Junior World Championships.
Rowing in the U.S. National Team program, Perkins earned a bronze medal at the 1997 Nationals in the quad, and a gold medal in the 2002 Nationals in a four with coxswain.
During his summers, Perkins has been a sculling coach at the Craftsbury Sculling Center and the Black Bear Sculling Center.
