Stony Brook Crew Coaching Staff: 2007-2008 Academic Year

Head/Varsity Coach: Cory Vilaplana

The new head coach of Stony Brook Crew for the 2007-2008 season, Cory began his rowing career at Stony Brook, rowing with the team from 1998-99. After a stint on LaSalle University's lightweight team, followed by time with Tübinger Ruderverein "Fidelia" in Germany, Cory returned to Stony Brook as a coach in 2001. Cory also competed in the Empire State games in 2000, 2002, 2003, and 2004, earning two bronze and one silver medal.

Cory's coaching career at Stony Brook began as the novice men, novice women, and varsity women's coach in the 2001-2002 season. The novice women's team that year experienced significant success, earning a gold medal at the invitational regatta, as well as a silver at the NYS Rowing Championships. In the 2002-2003 season, Cory coached the women's varsity four to a bronze medal at the NYS Rowing Champs. Cory then moved onto Dowling College in 2003, first coaching the novice men's squad then becoming the interim varsity women's coach. After coaching at Dowling until Fall 2006, Cory is excited to return to Stony Brook to continue the high standard of rowing and success that he experienced during his earlier tenures. Cory is known as a strict but likable coach, and the team has quickly shown immense improvement under his very competent leadership.

Novice Women's Coach: Bret Harrison

Bret Harrison returns to Stony Brook University after a one semester hiatus to coach the Novice Women's squad for the third consecutive season. A former Stony Brook rower, Bret distinguished himself with the varsity men's squad for three years before offering his skills as coach to the team. His success with the novice women has been overwhelming and the squad has proven to be a competitive force every semester its been under his leadership.

In addition to his time at Stony Brook, Bret spent a summer coaching novice crews in Duluth, Minnesota, an experience he brought back to the team in a coaching effort that showed an even more successful women's squad. He now looks with his squad towards the spring semester, a term where medals are not just a hope for this high potential squad, but an expectation.

Novice Men's Coach: John Richy

John begins his coaching career at Stony Brook after a distinguished four year varsity rowing career at Iona College. John's reputation at Iona precedes him as he and his eight advanced to the Dad Vail Semi-Finals during his senior year, an act he hopes to repeat with the novice men at Stony Brook. John's enthusiasm is clear to all he coaches, as he is quick to bring a laugh almost as often as a lesson to each member of his squad. His emphasis on physical endurance and teamwork has quickly brought together a group of brand new rowers, manifesting itself in improvement of an incredible magnitude.

Novice/Varsity Technique Coach: Rob Litzke

Rob Litzke returns for his fourth year at Stony Brook, his second as a coach. Rob is a veteran rower, first spending four years as a varsity High School rower in Clifton Park, New York, then spending an additional two years at the varsity level at Stony Brook. During Rob's tenure the squad had some of its best racing results in team history. Having successfully developed the varsity men's team during the 2006-2007 year, Rob returns to assist both novice and varsity squads to reach their full potential.