CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Tony Kilbridge, who will retire this summer after 20 years as the MIT men's heavyweight crew head coach and H.W. McCurdy '22 Director of MIT Rowing, has been named the recipient of the 2026 Intercollegiate Rowing Coaches Association (IRCA) Leadership Award.

The Leadership Award is given to a coach or administrator who has shown great leadership and become a role model for men's collegiate rowing. Kilbridge shared the honor with George Munger, Director of Rowing / Head Men's Rowing Coach at Tufts University.

"Tony has led MIT Crew for 20 years, taking the program from and extraordinary low place and turning it into a nationally recognized rowing program," said Will Oliver-Milchman and Evan Thews-Wassell in support of Kilbridge.

Oliver-Milchman, the Gerrit Zwart '62 Men's Varsity Lightweight Crew Coach at MIT was recently named as Kilbridge's successor as the H.W. McCurdy '22 Director of Rowing. While Thews-Wassell, Kilbridge's assistant coach for the past 20 years, will take over head coaching duties for MIT's heavyweight rowing program beginning on August 3.

"Over Tony's time as leader, all of the MIT programs had grown in size and competitiveness. Among the staff, Tony is incredibly supportive, providing the resources and support necessary to get the job done. He's respectful of our time and lives outside of the boathouse but demands great work. He has created a caring, inclusive community where people support each other and each other's efforts, cheer each other on, and strive for excellence. His steady leadership and attentiveness have made him one of the most transformative figures in the league."

Nominations for each award were submitted by IRCA member coaches, along with their comments and recommendations, and were then voted on by the IRCA Board of Directors to select a winner.

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