GMU Crew Club

1981 - Present


COACHES

  • Bob Spousta

    HEAD COACH

    1987 - Present

    Bob started rowing as a member of the Crew Club at UMass/Amherst as a junior in the spring of '69 and has been rowing/coaching continously since. His first sport was wrestling in HS/college. He has been working with Mason students since the fall of '87 and is committed to the value of collegiate club sports. Bob encourages people to experience small boat rowing to improve their overall effectiveness in larger boats. He is a long time member of Potomac Boat Club ['72] and active with Occoquan Boat Club as a Board Member and sculler [mostly in a single]. He is part of an informal early morning sculling group that logs more than 2000 miles annually.

    Bob is intent on helping to build up the Crew Club Coaches Endowment at the GMU Foundation to help ensure that there will always be adequate support for the Crew Club Coaches. Bob has witnessed enormous changes in Mason and its students over the years. He feels stronger than ever that learning how to be a "responsible teammate" remains the most important lesson from America's oldest intercollegiate sport [Rowing/1852].

    Contact: rspousta@gmu.edu

  • Brian Tassi

    ASSISTANT COACH

    2018 - Present

    Coach Tassi has been with George Mason Crew Club since 2018 and has been coaching crew for over 25 years. He has coached all boat types from singles to eights at the high school, junior, collegiate club, US rowing development camps and elite rower level. His athletes have medalled in scholastic, the Dad Vail, US Rowing Club National Championships, Canadian Henley, and the Pan American Games (US lightweight Single in 2003).

    Contact: bgthome06@gmail.com

  • Valerie Spiegelthal

    ASSISTANT COACH

    2023 - Present

    Valerie got her start with rowing locally while in high school and has called the Occoquan home for nearly 10 years. She attended James Madison University, where she rowed at the club level before transitioning to coaching in 2022. She joined the coaching staff at Mason in the fall of 2023, and also coaches several local scholastic and club rowing teams. Valerie has competed nationally and internationally in nearly every boat class and now competes as a Masters rower with Occoquan Boat Club, mostly in the single. She hopes to instill a lifelong love of the sport in others, whether that be through competitive or recreational rowing.

2024-2025 CABINET

  • Michael Lynch

    President

    Michael is a junior studying Kinesiology. He rowed 3 years in high school and joined the GMU Crew club as a freshman in the Fall of 2022. Michael can be found studying anatomy or lost in the woods.

  • Bonnie Hsu

    Vice President

    Bonnie is a Junior studying in Psychology who started rowing his freshman year as a first year novice.

  • Luke Hummel

    Treasurer

    Luke Hummel started rowing as a true novice his freshman year and is now a Junior Business Marketing major and our Treasurer.

  • Hannah Stewart

    Secretary

    Hannah is a Criminology major at GMU who joined the crew club in Spring 2023 as a complete novice. When not rowing, she enjoys hiking, thrifting and listening to music.

  • Hayden Galio

    Outreach Chair

    Hayden is a Junior Cybersecurity major at GMU who joined his freshman year as a true novice.