The Episcopal Rowing team trains out of the Walton Boathouse, a state of the art rowing facility located on the banks of the Arlington River at the Knight Campus. The boys’ and girls’ teams row a fall season that leads up to the scholastic season in the spring. Recent highlights include placing second in team points at the Florida Scholastic Rowing Association State Championship for 2017 and 2018. The girls were second in team points for 2019, winning a scholastic title in the Varsity Four and Junior Eight events.

The overall focus is promoting the team and ensuring each student athlete can reach their potential for greatness on and off the water. The depth of training and focus on teamwork will lead to future success on the water for those who are committed to pushing mental and physical limits while enjoying the fun and camaraderie this unique sport has to offer. The Rowing Program fields teams at the Middle and Upper School level. The Episcopal Rowing Program is led by Program Director and Head Girls Coach Mike Alton and Head Boys Coach Pete Washburn.

About the Coaches

Mike Alton has been coaching for more than two decades. Coach Alton led Episcopal to a Team City Championship and North Regional Championship in 2016, as well as multiple City Championships in the Varsity Boys and Girls 8. He also led the Eagles to a number of scholastic state championships: Girls Varsity 4 (2016 & 2019) and Girls Varsity Pair (2016) and Girls Junior Eight (2015, 2017, 2019). Coach Alton won the Senior Choice Award (2013) and the John Ryan Award of Excellence in Coaching in 2016. Prior to joining Episcopal, Coach Alton led Hobart to the Liberty League Championship for six consecutive years (2006-2011). Coach Alton has also served as the Head Coach for Vassar College and an assistant at Drexel University and Wichita State University. Coach Alton attended Temple University on a rowing scholarship where he won the Rookie of the Year award and Coach’s Award. While at Temple, Alton was able to make the Varsity 8 as a freshman and went on to win the Dad Vail Championship three out of four years and competed at the Henley Royal Regatta in England.

Pete Washburn is one of the most decorated coaches on campus. Coach Washburn rowed at Syracuse University, where he was a captain, and on the US National team twice. He has been coaching since 1972, including two years collegiately at Princeton University and twenty plus years at Phillips Academy Andover in New England. He is in his seventh year at Episcopal as a teacher and the Head Boys Coach.