July 17, 2013

After leading the Boston University men's rowing team to a third-place finish at the Eastern Sprints and coaching two boats to the Grand Final at the IRA Regatta, head coach Tom Bohrer has signed a contract extension that will keep him at the DeWolfe Boathouse through 2016, Assistant Vice President and Director of Athletics Mike Lynch announced.

"Under coach Bohrer's leadership, Boston University men's rowing is on a fast track, moving among the elite programs in the country," Lynch said. "With his great experience in the sport, Tom brings great energy and a vision for success at the highest level. Tom continues to raise the bar for the program and the proof is the success the team has had in the short time he has been here at BU."

During the 2013 dual season, Bohrer's fifth at BU, the Terriers' varsity eight boat captured four cups, highlighted by the program's first Jablonic Cup victory against Wisconsin since 2005. The crew would go on to reach the Grand Final at the Eastern Sprints and help BU finish with 22 points, two shy of the program record set in 2005. Both the second varsity eight and varsity four boats had impressive seasons with Grand Final appearances at the Sprints and IRAs.

"I am truly honored to continue to serve as Boston University head coach," Bohrer said. "Our staff and team are grateful for the tremendous support that the University has shown us. I would like to thank Mike Lynch and Drew Marrochello for the confidence they have shown us. Boston University is an amazing place and I am thrilled to continue my work making BU one of the top programs in the country."

Bohrer's fourth dual season in 2012 ended on a grand note with the Terriers' varsity eight boat defeating then-No. 4 California two times for the first time ever in one event during the IRAs en route to a sixth-place finish. BU took seventh overall as a team with 122 points and was only six away from a fifth-place result.

During the 2011 dual season, the Terriers captured a program-record five cups. They opened the year by winning both the Michalson Cup and the freshman race against Brown for the first time ever in one year. The Cup victory marked Bohrer's second in three years against the Bears and BU's fourth overall dating back to 1980.

In 2010, the freshman eight boat recorded an undefeated dual-season record and would go on to finish fourth at the Eastern Sprints, its best result in over 40 years. The freshmen missed out on a Grand Final appearance at the IRAs by 0.244 seconds but came back the following day to win the Petite Final. Facing a similar situation after missing out on the Grand Final by 0.02 seconds, the varsity eight boat also captured the Petite to help BU finish sixth overall in the team standings, an improvement of one spot from 2009.

The Terriers made a splash in Bohrer's first year at the 2009 Eastern Sprints and the IRA Championships by sending both varsity eight boats to each of the Grand Finals for the first time ever in the same year. The Terriers varsity eight boat upset then-No. 2 Brown during the Michalson Cup race for their first win against the Bears since 1987. They carried the momentum from the win to make a last-minute charge in the semifinals of the IRA Championship to overtake No. 4 Wisconsin and reach the Grand Final for the first time since 2005. With the second varsity eight boat also reaching its respective Grand Final race at the IRAs, BU received the Clayton Chapman Award for the most improved team in the country.

A two-time Olympic medalist and a three-time medalist at the World Championships, Bohrer competed for the United States Rowing Team from 1986 to 1994, earning silver medals in the men's coxless fours at two consecutive Olympic Summer Games (Seoul in 1988 and Barcelona in 1992). He was named US Rowing Athlete of the Year in 1989, and served as the Olympic Team Captain in 1992.

Bohrer graduated from the Florida Institute of Technology with a bachelor of science degree in 1986. He lives in Concord, Mass., with his wife, CB Sands, a two-time lightweight world champion. They have three children: Sally, Sabrina and Si.