Sauer Elected to Rowing Hall of Fame
June 13, 2017
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia rowing head coach Kevin Sauer has been inducted into the Pocock/Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association Hall of Fame, announced Tuesday (June 13) during the Pocock/CRCA All-America, Coach of the Year and Hall of Fame awards show.
In addition, UVA senior rowers Georgia Ratcliff (Falls Church, Va.) and Erin Briggs (Orono, Minn.) were named 2017 Pocock/CRCA All-Americans for the second consecutive season. Ratcliff was named to the first team, while Briggs was honored on the second team. Ratcliff and Briggs were part of the UVA Varsity Eight that claimed an ACC championship on placed 10th at the NCAA Championships. Ratcliff was named a first-team All-American last season and Briggs was a second-team selection.
Sauer earned his CRCA Hall of Fame berth for making a major impact on the UVA rowing program. The two-time CRCA National Coach of the Year (2010 and 2012) has elevated Virginia to the most elite level of rowing programs around the country and has guided the Cavaliers to NCAA championships in 2010 and 2012.
Sauer, who completed his 22nd season at UVA this spring, has guided the Cavaliers to a pair of NCAA titles (2010 and 2012), 17 of 18 ACC championships and 11 NCAA top-four finishes. In addition, Cavalier boats have been crowned national champions nine times, including five times in the Varsity Four (2004, 2005, 2007, 2010 and 2015) and three times in the Second Varsity Eight (1998, 1999 and 2005). Sauer’s program hit another high in 2012 as the UVA Varsity Eight won the NCAA title for the first time and clinched the team title in the process.
“I am humbled and honored, and this reflects 40 years of hard work and great character from the student-athletes and coaches with whom I have worked,” Sauer said.
Sauer came to Charlottesville in the fall of 1988, when he was hired as the Virginia Rowing Club’s second full-time professional coach. He oversaw the direction of both the men’s and women’s club teams until the women’s team was upgraded to varsity status and began competition in the fall of 1995. Both teams thrived under Sauer, including the women’s Varsity Four winning the club national championship in 1995.
Once at varsity level, it did not take long for Sauer to build Virginia into a national powerhouse. The Cavaliers finished fourth at the inaugural NCAA regatta in 1997 and have finished as the runner-up on three occasions (1999, 2005 and 2007). Virginia is one of just seven schools to claim the NCAA Championship (Brown, California, Harvard, Ohio State, Stanford and Washington are the others) and one of four schools to compete in at least 18 NCAA Women’s Rowing Championships.
The Cavaliers have dominated ACC action under Sauer, winning 17 of the 18 ACC regattas to be held, including the last eight years. Virginia has won 68 of the 75 events to be held at ACC regattas, had 14 crews be named ACC Crew of the Year and Sauer himself has been honored as ACC Coach of the Year 11 times.
Under Sauer’s tutelage, 39 student-athletes have earned 53 CRCA All-America citations and he has had 81 All-ACC selections. Virginia has had multiple All-Americans 17 years in a row and had at least one member on the first team 18 consecutive seasons.