GW Men’s Rowing Alumni Cross the Finish Line for New John Devlin Boat
9/16/2019 10:40:00 AM | Men's Rowing
Alumni Raised More than $30,000 for Big Kitty 2.0
Twenty-six GW men's rowing alumni and friends of the program contributed more than $30,000 in just one month to purchase a new boat for the Varsity Eight in memory of former Head Coach John Devlin.
Led by men's rowing alumni Ben Adams (CCAS '94), Marshall Brown (CCAS '95), Matt Russell (CCAS '95) and Jared Shaw (ESIA '96), the GW Men's Rowing community will celebrate the new boat, and Coach Devlin's legacy at the helm of GW Rowing, at the GW Invitational April 10-11, 2020.
"On and off the water, John taught all of us what it meant to pull together in the pursuit of a goal," Adams said. "It is a fitting tribute, then, that so many of his student-athletes pitched in together to purchase this boat in his honor."
Devlin coached men's rowing from 1991-97. He was a mainstay in Washington-area rowing, serving multiple stints with the Georgetown women's rowing program. In 2014, GW dedicated the first "Big Kitty" boat in his honor. Devlin passed away in 2014.
"John always felt the coaching launch gave him a front-row seat to the best of human endeavors," said Jo Ann Grainger, Devlin's widow and a donor to the project. "Putting oneself on the line, a team working toward a common goal - he also felt every member of the team had a role. The better the weakest person on the team, the stronger the first boat was."
After its dedication, the boat will be used by the Varsity Eight, coming off their record-setting 13th place finish at the IRA National Championships in June.
Program alumni and friends are invited to make additional gifts in memory of Coach Devlin. To make a gift, visit the project's crowdfunding page.