Columbia Hires Tom Terhaar As Director of Rowing
12/16/2021 5:00:00 PM | Women's Rowing, Heavyweight Rowing, Lightweight Rowing
Terhaar is an internationally renowned women's rowing coach and for the past 20 years has led the U.S. Rowing Women's team to unprecedented Olympic and international success.
NEW YORK – Columbia University Campbell Family Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Peter Pilling announced today, Thursday, Dec. 16, that Tom Terhaar has been hired as the Director of Rowing for Columbia Rowing. Terhaar served, for the past 20 years, as the Head Coach of the U.S. Women's Rowing Team and he will oversee all three Columbia rowing programs.
"Tom Terhaar is such a well-respected and internationally decorated rowing coach and we are excited to have the opportunity for him to work with our student-athletes," Pilling said. "His wealth of knowledge, experience, and success will be impactful for all of our rowing programs."
Terhaar has been the longest serving coach in U.S. Rowing's history, having coached at six Olympic Games and has been an assistant since 1994.
Since Terhaar took over as the head coach of U.S. Women's Rowing in 2001, they have achieved unprecedented international success. During his tenure the United States has won 17 World Championship gold medals, five Olympic medals, including three successive golds in the eight, for a total of 37 World and Olympic medals.
"I am extremely excited to take on this new challenge with the student-athletes, coaches, administration, and the alumni of Columbia University. I look forward to continuing the proud tradition of Columbia's achievements while helping to build new successes in the future."
Prior to coaching the U.S. national team, Terhaar spent five years at Columbia University coaching the men's lightweight program. At Columbia, his Lightweights took a silver medal at the 1998 Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championships and in 2000, Terhaar led his crew to Columbia's first ever Eastern Sprints title.
"We are very excited and fortunate to see Tom Terhaar return to Columbia University as the director of Columbia's three rowing programs," Thomas W. Cornacchia '85CC, a member of the King's Crown Rowing Association, the Rowing Advisory Committee and Columbia heavyweight alum said. "Tom's 20 plus years of coaching on the world stage combined with his tremendous success will be transformational for our rowing program at Columbia University. We wish Tom incredible success and are excited for the future of Columbia rowing."
"Tom Terhaar is such a well-respected and internationally decorated rowing coach and we are excited to have the opportunity for him to work with our student-athletes," Pilling said. "His wealth of knowledge, experience, and success will be impactful for all of our rowing programs."
Terhaar has been the longest serving coach in U.S. Rowing's history, having coached at six Olympic Games and has been an assistant since 1994.
Since Terhaar took over as the head coach of U.S. Women's Rowing in 2001, they have achieved unprecedented international success. During his tenure the United States has won 17 World Championship gold medals, five Olympic medals, including three successive golds in the eight, for a total of 37 World and Olympic medals.
"I am extremely excited to take on this new challenge with the student-athletes, coaches, administration, and the alumni of Columbia University. I look forward to continuing the proud tradition of Columbia's achievements while helping to build new successes in the future."
Prior to coaching the U.S. national team, Terhaar spent five years at Columbia University coaching the men's lightweight program. At Columbia, his Lightweights took a silver medal at the 1998 Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championships and in 2000, Terhaar led his crew to Columbia's first ever Eastern Sprints title.
"We are very excited and fortunate to see Tom Terhaar return to Columbia University as the director of Columbia's three rowing programs," Thomas W. Cornacchia '85CC, a member of the King's Crown Rowing Association, the Rowing Advisory Committee and Columbia heavyweight alum said. "Tom's 20 plus years of coaching on the world stage combined with his tremendous success will be transformational for our rowing program at Columbia University. We wish Tom incredible success and are excited for the future of Columbia rowing."
Terhaar rowed and graduated from Rutgers University in 1991. He is married to nine-time national team member and two-time Olympian, Jennifer Dore-Terhaar (Rutgers '93).
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