Hall of Fame
Patricia R. Curnan – Head Crew Coach 1982-1990
Pat Curnan entered the world of rowing as a freshman at Northeastern University, where she was originally recruited on a basketball scholarship. After an ankle injury ended her Basketball career as a freshman, she happened to be lifting weights alongside members of the crew team—who suggested to Pat that she should join the team. She did—and was offered a full athletic scholarship by the coaching staff.
Pat captained the Northeastern Crew team as a junior and senior, and during her senior year trained with the National Team Development Camps. That year, she won the gold medal in the Pair, and the gold medal in the Eight, at the 1981 National Sports Festival.
Pat came to Simmons in 1982 as the Athletic Trainer and Head Crew Coach. At the time, she was the second full-time Athletic Department staff member in addition to the Athletic Director. While coaching the crew team, she eventually moved on from the training room to a position as Head Basketball Coach, and then eventually as the Sports Center Facility Manager.
During her time at the helm of the program, Pat amassed 41 wins during the fall and spring seasons. The highlights of her record include 4 Gold Metals, 3 Silver Metals and 3 Bronze Metals at the New England Rowing Championships; Varsity 4 Gold and Varsity 8 Silver at the 1983 and 1986 Dad Vail Regattas; and Varsity 4 Silver at the National Women's Rowing Championships.
In 1984, Pat had a new Vespoli racing shell, the "Patricia R. Curnan," named after her, and has also contributed to two successful fundraising campaigns in 1989—the team's 10th anniversary, and in 2008—the team's 30th anniversary.
A student-athlete from the class of '86 said of Pat: "Pat Curnan was a great coach in all meanings of the word. She taught us fine technique, she conditioned us and she prepared us well for competition. She also shared her passion for crew and she cared for us deeply - and still does all these years later. It is a cliché to say we were a family - but Pat was so much like our older sister looking out for us and pushing us to get more out of ourselves than we realized we had. Being on crew was one of the highlights of my time at Simmons and is still among most cherished memories in large part because of Pat Curnan."
Pat Curnan was one of the earliest coaches of the Simmons Crew program, and the first that pushed the team to the national level. The team has continued to grow on the foundation she and her athletes created, and she continues to be a cherished supporter of the program..
Please join me in welcoming Pat Curnan to the 2011 Simmons Athletics Alumnae Hall of Fame.