Kansas State Men’s Crew was founded by Don Rose in 1963. Rose had been a Wisconsin coxswain and had coached at Princeton and Columbia. He came back to Manhattan and founded the Men’s Crew as the first rowing program in the Midwest.
In 1974, the Women’s Crew was founded, and the Junior (high school) crew followed in 1986. The Women’s Crew became an NCAA program in 1994 as K-State Rowing, and KSMC became co-ed for non-NCAA women.
The KSU Crew is not sponsored by the K-State Athletics Department but is a member of Kansas State Rowing Association, American Collegiate Rowing Association, and US Rowing Association.
About Kansas State Rowing Association
The purpose of the organization is to teach college and high school age individuals the sport of rowing and the health-related benefits of this activity and to promote and foster national amateur sports competitions.