Penn AC Rowing Association

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Welcome to Philadelphia Training Center at Penn AC Meet the high performance athletes who train out of Penn AC Rowing Association, located on Philadelphia's historic boathouse row. Penn AC has been the home f...

Penn AC Hires Bill Manning as High Performance Coach
January 25, 2022

Penn AC Rowing Association, a USRowing High Performance Partner Club, is pleased to announce that it has hired Bill Manning as head coach of its High Performance Group, effective February 3, 2022.

“We believe Bill Manning will be a catalyst to cement Philadelphia as one of the top training centers for elite rowers and scullers in the U.S., and to develop athletes that will ultimately win medals at the World Championships and Olympic Games.” said Penn A.C. President Mike Wherley. “Bill brings an incredible track record of coaching success at the elite college level and also with the U.S. National Team, and we expect he will attract athletes to add to our current squad, building a very strong team of highly-motivated men and women.”

“I am absolutely thrilled to be joining Penn AC to focus on developing and supporting brave rowers and scullers pursuing their Olympic dreams,” said Manning. “The club, the Schuylkill Navy, and the greater Philadelphia community have an extraordinary record of achievement. With US Rowing’s renewed emphasis on club rowing, Penn AC is well positioned to continue producing world class athletes for the USA.”

Manning has a long history of success coaching in the collegiate ranks. Most recently, he was the interim head coach of LaSalle University (since October 2021). Prior to that, Manning spent 23 years combined at Princeton University and Harvard University, including two years with Princeton Women’s Rowing (2019-2021), six years with Princeton Men’s Lightweight Rowing (2013-2019), and 15 years with Harvard Men’s Rowing (1998-2013).

In 2021, the Princeton Women finished 12th at the NCAA Championships. Princeton’s Men’s Lightweight team had great success during Manning’s tenure as assistant coach. Boats coached directly by Manning won a gold medal in the Lightweight Men’s 4 in 2015 at the IRA National Championships and four silver medals and one bronze at the same regatta from 2016 to 2018. He also coached four crews to gold medals at Eastern Sprints. The Tiger Lights finished the season ranked #2 in both 2018 and 2019 and #3 in 2016.

At Harvard, Manning served as Associate Head Coach under Harry Parker in 2011-2013. In those two years, Harvard’s first varsity 8 won gold at the Eastern Sprints and took silver at the IRA National Championships in 2013, after finishing silver and bronze in the same regattas the prior year. In both years, Harvard won the overall team trophy at the Eastern Sprints and swept Yale in the Harvard/Yale Race.

As Harvard’s freshman coach from 1998-2011, Manning’s crews won seven Eastern Sprints titles and six medals at the IRA National Championships. His top freshman boat medaled in twelve of the thirteen years they raced at the Eastern Sprints, did not lose a dual race in Manning’s final five seasons – defeating 35 straight opponents, and defeated Yale in eleven of thirteen Harvard/Yale Races.

Additionally, at the Henley Royal Regatta, Harvard's crews coached by Manning won the Visitor's Challenge Cup (2013), the Ladies' Challenge Plate (2012), the Prince Albert Cup (2011), and two Temple Challenge Cups (2002, 2001).

Manning has spent many summers coaching for the U.S. National Team, including as assistant coach to the men’s pair in the 2004 Olympic Games and the 2003 World Championships, as coach to the lightweight men’s 8 and lightweight men’s 2- at the 2014 and 2015 World Championships, respectively, and as coach to two medaling crews at the 2015 Pan American Games. In 2018 he served as Head Coach for Team USA at the Youth Olympic Games. Additionally, he has coached numerous U23 and U19 crews over the years, most recently winning bronze medals in the U19 women’s 4 in 2016 and 2018.

“I am thankful for the many athletes and coaches I have worked with on the international stage who have contributed to my development as a person and coach,” said Manning. “Their influence will guide my work as I seek to help others represent the United States and compete at the highest level.”

“Penn AC has a long history of developing athletes to represent the U.S. and have real successes at the international level – including winning medals at the World Championships and Olympic Games,” said Wherley. “We know that USRowing’s new leaders are looking for Penn AC and its other Partner Clubs to step up, invest, rally support from the rowing community, and help deliver those medals over the next quadrennial or two.”

“Bill is the perfect coach to take our athletes and our program to the next level. We welcome him to the Schuylkill Navy community and look forward to all that he will contribute,” said Wherley.