Dr. Gavin R. White

Biography

After serving 37 years as the head coach of Temple men's crew, Dr. Gavin R. White moved into the Coach Emeritus role following the 2016 season. Under his guidance, Temple crew has achieved distinction both nationally and internationally. His boats have won 20 Dad Vail Regatta Varsity 8 titles, including an impressive 13 consecutive titles from 1989-2001. White has also led the Owls to seven invitations to Great Britain's premiere regatta, the renowned Royal Henley Regatta (1983-86, 1989, 1990, 1994). In Temple's seven appearances, White’s crews qualified to the grand final once (1984) and into the quarterfinals four times (1985, 1990, 1993, 1994). After serving as an assistant for three seasons, White became only the second head coach in Temple crew history. He succeeded Tom "Bear" Curran in 1979 and has been the men's coach ever since, with the exception of the 1984-85 season when he took a sabbatical to work on a doctoral degree, which he received from Temple in 1986. Honored as the 2003 Schuylkill Navy Coach of the Year, White coached the men's four at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, where his crew finished fifth in the finals. A five-time U.S. National Rowing Team coach, White also coached the men's pair with coxswain to the gold medal at the 2003 FISA World Rowing Championships in Milan, Italy. Many of White's Temple rowers have gone on to success in international competition. Oarsman Igor Francetic, 1996 Nation's Cup Champion for Croatia, earned a gold medal at the Se