UPbeat

News for and about University of Portland faculty and staff.

Pasha Spencer

Learn to Row With Pasha Spencer-Levitan, Nov. 10

Head women’s rowing coach Pasha Spencer-Levitan will offer a free rowing class to faculty and staff on Saturday, November 10, from 8 to 10 a.m., at the the UP boathouse on Vancouver Lake (8612 NW Erwin O Rieger Memorial Highway, Vancouver, WA 98660). Please allow yourself 30 minutes to drive to the boathouse. If transportation is needed, please contact recreational services and a van may be made available.

The rowing class is open to all faculty and staff and is a great opportunity to get out on the water to learn a new recreational skill with guidance from the experts. Please RSVP using this link.

For more information contact Kaitlin Bourne. recreational services, at x7294 or bourne@up.edu.

Row, Row, Row Your Boat…

Head women’s rowing coach Pasha Spencer-Levitan will offer free rowing classes to faculty and staff on Friday, June 29 and Saturday, June 30. This is an opportunity to step into an eight-person boat and experience rowing on the water with UP friends and members of the women’s rowing team. In each boat, there will be 6 novice/beginner rowers that are paired with 2 experienced rowers and a coxswain. Please register for the class on UP Recreation’s online portal at this link. After registration, you will be contacted by Pasha with more information.

  • Friday, June 29, 6 a.m.-8 a.m.
  • Saturday, June 30, 7-9 a.m.
  • Map– please allow 30 minutes to drive to the UP boathouse on Vancouver Lake. If transportation is needed, recreational services can arrange a UP van.

For more information contact Kaitlin Bourne, recreational services, at x7294 or bourne@up.edu.

New Cardio Option: Intro to Rowing

Looking for a fun, new way to keep up with your New Year’s resolutions? Join the Indoor Rowing Class for staff and faculty! The class will take place every Friday from January 19 until March 9. Classes will be in Beauchamp Recreation Center in studio 20. For for information, email Pasha Spencer, athletics, at spencerp@up.edu or call (503) 896-3721.

Pilots Rowing Team Second in the Nation with 12 National Scholar Athletes

For the second straight year, the Portland Pilots had 12 rowers named Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA) National Scholar Athletes, tied for the second most in the country among all NCAA DI schools; also that number is easily the most among West Coast Conference schools. The Pilots rowing team is coached by Pasha Spencer, athletics.

In order to garner national scholar athlete recognition, a student-athlete must be a sophomore, junior, or senior with a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or better.

Portland’s Megan Del Pozzi, Kiva Goodman, Maddie Goodwin, Lauren Jesse, Jess Mann, Melanie Martinell, Megan Medalia, Lauren Reid, Alyssa Soete, Acacia Welsford, Kaitlin Yap and Brianne Zbylicki were all honored by the CRCA. This is the second year in a row to garner CRCA Scholar Athlete accolades for Goodwin, Mann, Martinell and Reid.

Martinell, Reid and Welsford also landed on the 2016-17 WCC All-Academic Team. Del Pozzi, Goodman, Goodwin, Jesse, Mann, Medalia, Soete and Zbylicki each earned league all-academic honorable mention.

For more information contact the athletics office at 7117 or go to www.portlandpilots.com.

Portland Fall Classic Regatta, Nov. 1

rowingAll are invited to support the UP rowing team at the Portland Fall Classic Regatta on Sunday, November 1, from 8 a.m. to noon, at the Portland Boathouse (1515 SE Water Ave). This will be the Pilots rowing team’s only home race of the season, and all faculty, staff, friends, and family are welcome. An open house with coffee and refreshments will take place at the team tent and head coach Pasha Spencer will give a tour of the boathouse at 10 a.m. The UP teams will be racing throughout the morning.

Please RSVP name and number of attendees for the open house to Spencer sperncerp@up.edu or 503-896-3721.

Pilots Rowing Team Open House and Regatta, Oct. 26

spencerFaculty, staff, and students are invited to join the UP rowing team family at their last home race, the Portland Fall Classic Regatta, on Sunday, October 26, from 8 a.m. to noon, at the Portland Boathouse (1515 SE Water Avenue). UP teams will be racing throughout the morning, so please come out to support the team, tour the boathouse the UP rowing team calls home, and meet other supporters of the Pilots. Coffee and refreshments will be available to all Pilot fans at our team tent.

Race Start Times:

  • 8:36 a.m: Varsity Eight start time
  • 8:38 a.m: 2nd Varsity Eight start time
  • 10:58 a.m: Varsity Four start time
  • 11:17 a.m: Novice Eight start time
  • 11:20 a.m: Novice Four start time

The crews will launch approximately 50-60 minutes before each race start time above. Come meet the UP athletes and coaches, watch the boats handled from the rack to the dock, and cheer the team from the shore as they race by. A boathouse tour with rowing coach Pasha Spencer (pictured) will take place at 10 a.m. For more information contact athletics at 7117 or go to www.portlandpilots.com.

Pilots Rowing Team Open House and Regatta, Oct. 26

aSpencerUP copyFaculty, staff, and students are invited to join the UP rowing team family at their last home race, the Portland Fall Classic Regatta, on Sunday, October 26, from 8 a.m. to noon, at the Portland Boathouse (1515 SE Water Avenue). UP teams will be racing throughout the morning, so please come out to support the team, tour the boathouse the UP rowing team calls home, and meet other supporters of the Pilots. Coffee and refreshments will be available to all Pilot fans at our team tent. Race Start Times:

  • 8:36 a.m: Varsity Eight start time
  • 8:38 a.m: 2nd Varsity Eight start time
  • 10:58 a.m: Varsity Four start time
  • 11:17 a.m: Novice Eight start time
  • 11:20 a.m: Novice Four start time

The crews will launch approximately 50-60 minutes before each race start time above. Come meet the UP athletes and coaches, watch the boats handled from the rack to the dock, and cheer the team from the shore as they race by. A boathouse tour with rowing coach Pasha Spencer (pictured) will take place at 10 a.m.

For more information contact athletics at 7117 or go to www.portlandpilots.com.

UP Rowing Open House

rowers copyAll faculty and staff are invited to join the athletics department at the UP Rowing Open House on Sunday, October 27, from 8 a.m. to noon, at the Portland Boathouse at 1515 SE Water Avenue. All are welcome to join the UP rowing family at their last home race, the Portland Fall Classic Regatta. The UP teams will be racing throughout the morning, and coffee and refreshments will be available to all Pilot fans at their team tent. Boathouse tours will take place at 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. with coach Pasha Spencer.

Access the race site via the SE Water Avenue exit from I-5 northbound, or exit 300B from I-5 southbound. More information including course maps, parking, and more is available at http://tinyurl.com/n3n94hl.

Athletics News

apasha headshot150Pasha Spencer was named the new head coach of the University of Portland women’s rowing program on Friday, July 12, according to athletic director Scott Leykam. Spencer, who previously was the head coach of the women’s rowing team at Saint Mary’s, has spent the past five years as executive director of the Everett Rowing Association. Spencer replaces Bill Zack, who left Portland to become the head coach at San Diego State. The University of Portland rowing program will be entering its third year as an NCAA Division I program this fall.

An update on former Pilots who are now playing in the National Women’s Soccer League: Kendall Johnson and Sophie Schmidt are helping pace the Sky Blue FC, who are currently in first place. Schmidt, who has six goals on the season, is tied for fourth in goals scored. Meanwhile, the Thorns, who feature former Pilots Christine Sinclair, Danielle Foxhoven, and Angie Kerr-Woznuk, currently stand at second place. Finally, Megan Rapinoe and Stephanie Cox are now members of the Seattle Reign FC. Congratulations to all of our former Pilots!