Boston University Athletic Hall of Fame
A champion for equal rights for female athletes as both a student-athlete and coach, Friedman (‘75) was a founding member of the women’s rowing program in 1973 and helped it become a varsity sport at BU. The Philadelphia native captured a pair of gold medals at the National Women’s Rowing Association National Championships with the Terriers. She first captured top honors in the lightweight fours division in 1974 and then repeated the feat in the lightweight eights division a year later.
Following graduation, Friedman went on to claim seven medals at the United States Rowing Association Masters National Regatta. In 1985, she picked up a gold medal in the open eights division. She followed that performance with a gold medal in the lightweight fours division a year later and added a third gold medal in the singles division in 1987. Inducted into the Philadelphia Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2009, Friedman spent 22 seasons as head coach of the women’s rowing program at Mount Holyoke, leading the Lyons to three NEWMAC championships and numerous medals at both the ECAC and New England Regional Championships.
