As the sun rises over the Rivanna Reservoir, the silence of an early spring morning is suddenly broken by the shouts of coxswains and the quick rhythmic strokes of the rowers seated in front of them. The men – and a few women coxswains – who take to the water this morning are marking five decades of University of Virginia men’s rowing, on the Rivanna and around the globe.

The modern men’s club rowing team – which does not award scholarships, unlike the women’s rowing team, an official varsity sport – began in 1967 with a groundswell of support from students and local alumni, but it can trace its roots back to much earlier days at the University.

UVA’s first crew team, known as the Rives Boat Club, was formed in 1877 and was the first University team to take part in an intercollegiate competition in any sport, a race that took place on June 30, 1877. Despite this distinction, the original team only remained active for six years.

Today’s team attributes its longevity and its success – five members have gone on to join the U.S. national team – to the strong culture of dedication and camaraderie the club team has fostered over the years.

Now, as the team celebrates its 50^th anniversary, UVA Today takes a look back at Virginia men’s rowing through the years.