Stockton University Rowing Program Is Shining In Brigantine
The Stockton University Rowing Program has acclimated to their new home in Brigantine in no time at all.
The Ospreys went from “homeless” to “wanted.” For inexplicable reasons, the Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small and La’Quetta Small administrations kicked Stockton University out of the Atlantic City Boathouse.
However, Stockton never looked back. Just several weeks after the unexpected move, Stockton hosted a national caliber event at The Brigantine Boathouse.
The Stockton-Brigantine Boat Race was very successful, as the Stockton women's and men's rowing programs hosted a two-day, high-profile event.
"The Stockton-Brigantine Boat Race is a unique event where all teams will get to race three times over two days," said Stockton head women's rowing coach John Bancheri. "Moving the race to Brigantine this spring is an exciting opportunity to bring the Stockton University and Brigantine communities together."
The event attracted impressive teams:
- Stockton University
- United States Military Academy (Army)
- Bryn Mawr College
- Catholic University of America
- Franklin & Marshall College
- Johnson & Wales University.
The teams competed as follows:
- 2,000-meter course, behind Bayshore Avenue.
- Starting line near the Brigantine Lighthouse.
- Finish line near the Brigantine Yacht Club.
The regatta was the first hosted by the Stockton University rowing programs since they relocated to the Brigantine Rowing Club.
For your planning purposes, there are great viewing areas for competitions that will be held at Stockton’s Brigantine home:
- Any street end on the bay from Lighthouse Circle to 10th Street South
- City Dock at 26th Street
- Brigantine Yacht Club at 10th Street and Bayshore Avenue.
The boathouse area itself is for athletes, coaches, and officials only.
John Bancheri is in his fourth year as the head rowing coach at Stockton.
Bancheri returned home in 2019 to take the job of building a credible rowing program at Stockton.
Bancheri has been a winner at every stop during his 35-year college coaching career.
Last year, The Stockton Women’s Team made history with their first-ever gold medal in the varsity eight at the Dad Vail Regatta.
This was followed-up with their best finish ever at the Mid-Atlantic Rowing Conference Championships, finishing in second place.
The Stockton women finished last season ranked 14th in the Pocock/CRCA national poll.
Previous to his time at Stockton University, Bancheri was the head coach of the men's and women's club
teams at Grand Valley State University, Michigan for 13 years from 2005-18.
Bancheri had great success, winning six consecutive American Collegiate Rowing Association (ACRA) team points championships from 2008-13.
During Bancheri's tenure at GVSU, he was selected ACRA National Coach of the Year four times (2009, 2012, 2013 and 2014).
The present and future of the Stockton University Rowing programs are promising by any standard of measure.
SOURCE: Stockton University Rowing Programs.
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