Rudy Wieler Head Coach Seventh Season Email: rrwieler@buffalo.edu Phone: 716-645-7941 Office: 162 C Alumni

Rudy Wieler was named head coach of the University at Buffalo women’s rowing program in July of 2003, bringing with him an extensive amount of coaching knowledge at levels of experience which range from scholastic, club, and intercollegiate rowing as well as rowing and coaching at the national, international and Olympic level during his coaching career.

Wieler led the Bulls to their second consecutive Dad Vail Regatta point title in 2009 and also claimed a first as UB tied for the overall men's and women's point title, despite not receiving points from the UB men's club team. Not only did UB claim victory at the Dad Vail's, but they also won the Kerr Cup and the Knecht Cup. Wieler, who was instrumental in getting the Bulls invited to joined the Colonial Athletic Association as an affiliate member for rowing, coached UB to a second place finish at the first ever CAA Championships. The Bulls finished in second in two races, while claiming their first ever individual conference title with a victory in the Varsity Four.

The team first experienced new heights during the 2008 season as Wieler led the team to a first place finish at the Dad Vail Regatta where the Bulls won the prestigious Jack & Nancy Seitz Trophy. Wieler also led the Varsity Eight boat to its third straight Harvey Cup and second place finishes at the ECAC Metro Cup and the Knecht Cup. The team also finished third at the San Diego Crew Classic and fourth at the Dad Vail.

The rowing program at UB has increased in size and competitiveness over the last four season under Wieler’s tutelage. In 2005, the varsity programs had consecutive wins at the Dad Vail Regatta and a first win at the ECAC Metro Cup Championships. Also in 2006, UB won the Harvey Cup against Mid-American Conference rival Eastern Michigan for the first time in the cup’s four-year existence. The fall season also provided a milestone result, when the squad was the top American finisher at the Head of the Genesee, ahead of nationally-recognized Yale, Syracuse, and Harvard Radcliffe boats. During the spring season in 2007, UB captured its second straight Harvey Cup and second straight second placed finish at the ECAC Metro Cup Championships.

A native of St. Catharines, Ontario, Wieler has world class coaching experience highlighted by guiding 14 crews to international competition finals in his career. He served as head coach of the Canadian National Women’s team from 1980 to 1984. Wieler’s Canadian women’s four squad captured a silver medal at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Internationally, his rowers also won a gold and three bronze medals at the World Championships and a gold in the Commonwealth Games. He has also been a two-time coach of the Ontario squad at the Canada Games in 1997 and 2001. At the 2001 games, his 12 crews won seven gold and five silver medals. In 1979, Wieler was honored with the Air Canada Award as Canadian Coach of the Year among all sports.

Prior to coming to UB, Wieler also coached at several Canadian high schools for 31 years. Under his command, his teams medalled in each year of his tenure, and 15 of his squads captured the overall points championships. More than 60 of his high school rowers received athletic scholarships in the United States. Wieler also has collegiate coaching experience in the United States, serving as freshman coach at Pennsylvania from 1975 to 1976.

A 1967 graduate of Western Ontario and 1991 master’s degree recipient from Brock, Wieler is a fully-certified Level III coach in Canada. His coaching philosophy stresses the motto, “You can fly if you try.”

A WORD FROM HEAD COACH RUDY WIELER

"Our program has embraced a continued emphasis on recruiting that has resulted in significant improvement in our athletes both technically and physically. Being a D-I athlete takes tremendous work and commitment. We look for athletes who can handle the difficult task of balancing both academics and athletics.  Every student-athlete must examine themselves carefully as they decide on a future as an intercollegiate athlete. As proud as we are of our results on the water, we are equally proud of the fact that we have had 11 consecutive semesters of a 3.0 or better GPA for our entire squad with as many as two-thirds of the entire team achieving the 3.0 target. Student-athletes interested in joining the team as recruits or walk-ons are encouraged to contact one of the members of our coaching staff."