Borghard Steps Down As Rutgers Women's Rowing Head Coach
May 25 | Women's Rowing
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - After more than two decades of loyal service to Rutgers University, Max Borghard will step down as head coach of the Rutgers women's rowing program. Borghard, a 1987 graduate of the university, has served as the women's team head coach since 1995.
"On behalf of the entire Rutgers community, we would like to thank Max for his years of service and leadership to the Rutgers rowing program," said Director of Athletics Pat Hobbs. "Max has played an integral role in the development of countless student-athletes both academically and athletically. He has left an indelible mark on the women's program."
"It was an honor to work at Rutgers and I want to thank all the oarswomen who passed through the boathouse over the years," said Borghard. "The women's rowing program has grown tremendously and is in a good position to have great success in the years to come. I also want to thank all my assistant coaches for all their hard work."
Under his leadership, the Scarlet Knights qualified for the NCAA National Championships three times, in 1997, 1998 and 2001. Rutgers was one of only eight teams in the country to earn a full-team bid to the first ever NCAA championships in 1997. In conference and league championships, his crews amassed twenty-six Big East medals and four EAWRC medals.
Borghard guided Rutgers women's rowing through its transition into the Big Ten as six Scarlet Knights earned All-Big Ten selections at the conference championships. The program excelled off the water as well with 46 student-athletes named to the Big Ten All-Academic Team.
During his career, Borghard coached numerous All-Region Scholar-Athletes and Big East Academic All-Stars, and several of his former athletes have gone on to serve as collegiate rowing coaches.
His influence in coaching extended beyond his service 'On the Banks,' as Borghard mentored a number of former Scarlet Knights who enjoyed success in international competition. Sharon Kriz '98 finished second at the 1997 U-23 World Championships as a member of the U. S. straight four and fourth at Senior Worlds in the U. S. women's eight in 2005. Maite Urtasun `01, a two-time First Team All-American, made five senior national teams. In 2002, she was a world champion as a member of the U.S. women's eight.
Before returning to his alma mater, Borghard coached at Dartmouth College from 1989 to 1995. He coached the Big Green freshman lightweights to a bronze medal at the 1990 Eastern Sprints and to gold in 1991. During the summer of 2013, Borghard helped coach the U.S. Under-23 National Team at the Women's Olympic Training Center at Mercer Lake in West Windsor, N.J. On the national level, Borghard served as an assistant coach for the U.S. Junior Men's National Team in 1991, 1992 and 1994. He coached the junior men's double to a gold medal at the 1991 U.S. Olympic Festival in Los Angeles and assisted with the junior men's eight that won gold in Montreal, Canada in 1992.
Borghard, a native of Long Island, N.Y., began rowing in high school under the tutelage of his father, Al Borghard, who was also a Rutgers alumnus and regarded by many as the "Father of Rowing on Long Island." He captained the Rutgers Lightweights his junior and senior years and stroked the varsity lightweight eight to back-to-back Eastern Sprints bronze medals those same years. Capping off a successful collegiate rowing career, Borghard was selected to two consecutive U.S. National Teams in 1986 and 1987. He earned his bachelor's degree from Rutgers University in Mechanical Engineering in 1987.
