A Look Back at the 1993 Dad Vail Champion Temple Owls

Entering the 1993 season, the Temple crew team knew they would be good. But could the Owls continue their Dad Vail dominance? That was the question. On paper, it seemed a no-brainer.

Temple returned eight of nine athletes from the 1992 Dad Vail gold medal crew. The opening for the ninth spot was to be filled by an Olympian.

Michael Moore, who coxed the Owls to Dad Vail gold in 1989, 1990, and 1991, took off the 1992 season to compete at the highest level. He guided the United States to a fourth place finish at the Barcelona Olympics.

Despite his decorated status as a international caliber athlete, Moore felt pressure returning to the Owls' crew for his final season.

"We talk about the "Dad Vail streak" now, but in 1993, we were only a few years removed from a loss in 1988, so more than pressure, there was real drive to keep building on the wins before us," remembered Moore. "Personally, I must say that I felt more pressure than I had in previous years. I took the year off in 1992 to train for the Olympics and the last thing I wanted was a let down as I closed my Temple crew and overall rowing career."

Head Coach Gavin White was optimistic in the pre-season outlook. "With the group of men we have, I would not count us out of any race. The guys get offended at the thought of another team coming to our river and taking away the gold. They know it could happen, however, they are mind-set not to let it happen."

On the line? Temple tying its own record of five-straight Dad Vail gold medals.

"In Philadelphia, Dad Vail reigns," said White. "We could lose every race, but then win the Dad Vails and that would make it a successful year."

Temple did not lose every race leading up to the Dad Vail, of course, but the Owls did falter slightly at the start of the spring season.

At the famed San Diego Crew Classic, Temple won its final. It was the petite final, however, giving the Owls seventh place overall.

"We had a slow start in the heats, and just missed out on the final," said White at the time. "But we had a great race in the petite final."

Moore also remembers the Crew Classic very well.

"It was an early test for everyone as it always included a collection of some of the best crews in the country -- University of Washington, Cal Berkeley, UCLA, Harvard, Wisconsin, etc.," he noted. "I think we raced well that day, but it was clear that we had some work to do to find real speed. The good news is that we refined the line up each and every week and gained more and more speed throughout the spring."

From there, Temple's heavyweight eight did not lose another race. The Owls won the Murphy Cup, the Kerr Cup, and the Bergen Cup, taking gold in all three events leading up to the Dad Vail.

It seemed the Dad Vail outcome was not in doubt. Temple was the heavy favorite entering the event, and the Owls did not disappoint.

"I remember Dad Vail Saturday and the final race vividly," said Moore. "There was sun and a bit of chop in the water. I remember 'the move.' Coach White had put our race plan together and it call for a 'flurry' as we entered the Strawberry Mansion Bridge, which is about 650 meters into the 2,000-meter course."

With the Owls' game plan set, the race was contested in the first 1000 meters. The Owls started strong and began to pull away early using their "flurry."

"I remember arriving at the bridge with a slight lead, maybe one quarter of a boat length, and calling for the flurry as the bridge separated us for a brief moment," Moore explained. "I called 'now you see us!' as we entered the bridge, we flurried, and called 'now you don't' as we emerged from the bridge with almost an entire boat length lead. Scott Brodie who was the stroke seat, and the entire crew, executed the flurry incredibly well and we were off. From that point on the rest of the crews were in the rear view."

Even a late sprint from Georgetown saw the Hoyas get only 3.1 seconds from Temple's winning time of 5:39.28. The streak remained intact. The Dad Vail trophy was staying with the Owls.

Looking back at that year, Moore is grateful for his time at Temple, especially under Coach White.

"I take great pride in that we were able to uphold the legacy of toughness and winning that the crews that came before us started," said Moore. "I'm proud to have helped built a tradition of winning that attracted world-class rowers from around the world to come to Temple and win on their own terms. I'm humbled and grateful to have been coached and taught by Coach Gavin White, who taught me everything I know about dedication and leadership."

Temple went on to win the 1994 Dad Vail Regatta to set a record with six consecutive wins in the heavyweight eight race. The Owls continued their dominance, extending the streak to 13 consecutive titles from 1989 to 2001, a record that may never be broken.

"There is a quote that Coach White used when speaking about winning the Dad Vail that I think about often and I use in my personal and professional life to this very day," added Moore. "He would say, 'you do not win the Dad Vail on a sunny day in May, you win the Dad Vail on a cold and rainy day in February."

Temple University Athletics

A Look Back at the 1993 Dad Vail Champion Temple Owls

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