ODU Rowing Names Boats for President and First Lady Broderick

March 24, 2015

President John R. Broderick and First Lady Kate Broderick

The Old Dominion University women's rowing team hosted its only home regatta of the season on Saturday, March 21, and started a new tradition that honors ODU President John R. Broderick and First Lady Kate Broderick.

When the Lady Monarchs took to the waters of the Lafayette River on Saturday morning against the University of North Carolina, the Varsity 8 boat bore the name of John R. Broderick, while Kate's name graced the bow of the second Varsity 8 boat.

"There is a long standing tradition amongst rowing programs of naming boats after significant contributors to both the team and the university community on the whole," said ODU Women's Rowing head coach Dan Garbutt.

"Our current team members have no connection to the first days of the program before all the new equipment and boathouse. We felt it was the perfect opportunity to name these boats after President and First Lady Broderick and to serve as a perpetual reminder of both the decision to start our program and the continual support our team receives from the University and athletics," Garbutt added.

Following the races, the University honored 12 senior rowers at the ODU Women's Intercollegiate Rowing Center in Lakewood Park, and officially christened the two Broderick boats.