Shawn Turner was hired as a Drake University rowing assistant coach in the summer of 2018. Turner came to Drake from Vassar College, where he was the head men’s and women’s rowing coach for three seasons.
Turner is in charge of the Drake rowing novice team while assisting with the day-to-day operations of the entire program and the recruitment of new student-athletes.
At Vassar, located in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., Turner oversaw all aspects of the men’s and women’s varsity rowing sport programs, including budgeting, recruitment and scheduling. He increased participant numbers in both programs, increased financial donations to the programs and helped numerous boats win championships. In the classroom, he had 42 student-athletes earn ACRA Academic All-American honors.
Prior to Vassar, Turner spent four seasons as the assistant men and women’s rowing coach at Hamilton College. He served as an assistant coach for the US Rowing Jr. Men’s National Team in Lewiston, Maine in 2013, assisting in coaching development while coaching small boat and ergo meter workouts. Before his time at Hamilton, Turner was the freshman boy’s coach at Shenendehowa Crew Club in Clifton Park, N.Y. in 2011, and also served as the club’s head girl’s coach from 1998-2000.
In addition, Turner has had coaching stints at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Crew Club (2004-05), Shaker Rowing Association (2003), as well as with Marina Aquatic Center Junior Crew (2000-03). He started his professional career in the summer of 1999 with the Burnt Hills Rowing Association in Rexford, New York.
A 2000 graduate from the University of Albany, Turner competed for the rowing team at Albany for four seasons. While a member of the Great Danes, Turner earned the Team Service Award twice while serving as a Club Executive Board Member. On the water, he helped the novice men’s lightweight 8+ to a third-place finish at the prestigious Dad Vail Regatta.
