On May 1, 1965, interested students gathered with Recreation Director Bob Kelley to discuss the formation of a rowing team at UCSB. That fall, on October 21, another meeting was held where Mike Jeffries was elected the first president of UCSB Rowing, and Steve Benson was elected Vice President. Mike Jeffries and Bob Kelley hired grad student Gary Ray as the first coach for the team.
The Shell and Oar Club - an auxiliary support group primarily responsible for fundraising - was also founded, which led the way for the eventual formation of women’s rowing at UCSB a few years later. The initial group was led by Sue Taylor, Judy Borosof, Lynda Shaw, Bonnie Ferr, and Nancy Huber.

In Spring 1966, rowing a borrowed boat from USC named “Helen of Troy” which the Gauchos renamed “Charlie Brown.” The team did not win one race until the San Diego Crew Classic when they finished fifth out of six crews, proving to doubters that crew is here to stay at UCSB.

In fall 1966, John Casken was hired as the new head coach and brought rowing experience from England, helping the team to move forward. Meanwhile, Bob Kelley got permission from Santa Barbara County for the team to begin training at Lake Cachuma.
On April 15, 1967, the team hosted its first home regatta on Lake Cachuma, hosting San Diego State and Orange Coast College.
In Spring 1968, all squads won their first races.
In fall of 1968, recent graduate Mike Treman returned to coach the novice men, with the heavyweight crew, the “Meathooks,” beat four other teams. Meanwhile, the frosh lightweights won the West Coast Sprints in May. That spring, as well, marked the construction of the first enclosure and floating dock for the team at Lake Cachuma.

Coach John Casken

While Shell and Oar was critical to the program surviving those first few years through their fundraising and support efforts, the women involved wanted to row, and new leadership from Karl Borgstrom, Dennis Borsenberger, Bill Stout, and Jack Vallarga helped support them.
In 1971, a women’s 4+ was put together and raced that spring.
By 1972, the women’s roster grew and the women put an 8+ together that placed fifth overall at the National Women’s Rowing Association Championship. Of note - that crew was the second highest collegiate finisher at the regatta.

Under the guidance of alum and new coach Dennis Borsenberger, the men’s team began charging. In spring of 1974, with a small but talented frosh squad, the men’s frosh 4+ took third at Western Sprints.
In 1975, an even stronger frosh group raced the frosh 8+ but unfortunately had breakage in their final at Western Sprints, rowing 1800m of the raced with 7 oarsmen.
The team continued the charge and finished 2nd in the 4+ at the 1977 IRA ahead of Navy, Penn, and Coast Guard.

1977 IRA Regatta Results, Courtesy of the IRA Archives

As the team this year works to add to our program’s history, we are in the process of compiling the history!

If you would like to connect to contribute to this project, please email SBRA Historian, Nate Clark #1323, at clarkn@optonline.net.

Thank you!