ST. MARY’S CITY, Md. – St. Mary’s College of Maryland Director of Athletics and Recreation Crystal Gibson announced Tuesday morning (Sept. 17) the hiring of Dan Schenk as the next head men’s and women’s rowing coach. Schenk will begin his duties on September 23, becoming the program’s third head coach in the nine-year history of the varsity men’s and women’s rowing programs.
Schenk stated, “I’d like to thank Crystal, Jim, and everyone at St. Mary’s for trusting me with this opportunity to lead the Seahawks rowing program. With its top-notch education as a public honors college and its amazing facilities along the campus’ beautiful waterfront, St. Mary’s has everything needed to build a nationally competitive rowing program. I can’t wait to get started!”
Schenk comes to St. Mary’s College following a short stint at NCAA Division I Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, as the assistant rowing coach. At SMU, he helped guide the Mustangs to the 2024 American Athletic Conference championship title.
Prior to SMU, he spent two years (2021-23) at NCAA Division II Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Fla. Schenk began his tenure at Embry-Riddle as the assistant coach for seven months before being promoted to head coach of both men’s and women’s programs in October 2021.
The ERAU women’s rowing program qualified for the NCAA Division II Women’s Rowing Championships for three straight seasons (2021, 2022, 2023) under his leadership. The Eagle women also captured the Sunshine State Conference championship title in 2022 and 2023. Schenk picked up Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association Division II South Region Coach of the Year honors in his last year at Embry-Riddle.
The men’s rowing team at Embry-Riddle also experienced success with Schenk, winning the 2022 and 2023 Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championships.
Schenk, who holds a US Rowing Level 2 coaching certification, is no stranger to the Mid-Atlantic region, making coaching stops at NCAA Division I American University (Washington, D.C.), Calvert Hall College H.S. (Baltimore), Bishop O’Connell H.S. (Arlington, Va.), and Bethesda-Chevy Chase H.S. (Bethesda, Md.). He also served as the executive director of Baltimore Community Rowing.
Schenk graduated from The Pennsylvania State University in 2007 with a B.A. in history and a minor in education policy studies. He then obtained his M.B.A. from the University of Maryland Robert H. Smith School of Business in December 2013.
