Drexel University Men's Rowing

Matt Weaver is entering his third year as the men's rowing head coach for Drexel University after joining the Dragons in September 2023. Last season, Drexel captured the men's title at the Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta for the fourth consecutive year. Alongside the women's program, the Dragons took home the overall points title in back-to-back seasons. The varsity 4+ team qualified for the Second Final at the IRA National Championships as Andrew Manns was named to the IRA National Championships. Weaver was selected to coach the United States Senior Men's Lightweight 4x team at the 2024 Under 23 World Rowing Championships in St. Catharines, Canada. The team collected the gold medal, setting a new American record in the event at 5:47.74. During his first year as head coach, Weaver led the Dragons to their third consecutive Dad Vail Varsity 8+ Championship, as well as the Men's Team Championship. Prior to joining Dragons, Weaver was an assistant coach at national powerhouse University of Washington, and Philadelphia rival, Temple University. At Washington, he was a part of the coaching staff that guided the Huskies to a sweep of the 2021 IRA National Championship, and a third-place finish in 2022. With the Temple Owls, he assisted the Varsity 8+ to a bronze medal at the American Athletic Conference Championships. He also has coaching experience at La Salle, Winchester College and at Crescent Boat Club. He earned his bachelor's in criminology from Penn in 2016 and a master's in educ

Drexel announced Gary Wielgus as an assistant coach for the men's rowing team in August of 2024. Most recently Wielgus was an assistant coach for the University of Pennsylvania men's lightweight rowing team. He worked directly with the coaching staff in the development and implementation of both technical and fitness-based goals. The Quaker's lightweight 4+ team earned a silver medal at the IRA National Championship and received an IRCA Lightweight Coaching Staff of the Year nomination. Wielgus is also an assistant for the USRowing men's lightweight quadruple scull, participating at the Senior World Championships in St. Catharine's, Ontario. Prior to his time in Philadelphia, he was also the Novice and Varsity's boy's head assistant coach for the Moorestown Rowing Club in Moorestown, New Jersey for two years. The Philadelphia native spent three seasons with the Temple men's rowing team. The former Owl was a member of the varsity heavyweight 8+ team that won bronze at the Dad Vail in 2016, the first medal in the event for the program in nine years. Wielgus earned his bachelor's degree in general studies from Temple University in 2024.

Paul Savell enters his fourth year as the Director of Rowing for both the men's and women's rowing teams. In 2025, he resumed his role as Head Coach of the Drexel women's rowing team, where he is set to begin his 19th season. Since joining Drexel in 2007, Savell has led the Dragons to unprecedented national success at some of the most prestigious regattas in collegiate rowing, including the Henley Women's Regatta, Henley Royal Regatta and Dad Vail Regatta. In July of 2007, Savell was named the Drexel Director of Rowing after serving as the head crew coach at Lehigh for nine seasons. Savell was instrumental in the development of the Mountain Hawks' program from a team of 30 to more than 100 members. Prior to Lehigh, Savell coached at Holy Spirit High School in Absecon, N.J. for four seasons, and worked as the men's novice coach at Georgia Tech. Savell is also an accomplished rower. He starred at Holy Spirit in High School before attending the University of Wisconsin, where he rowed stroke in the varsity eight for two seasons. He also captured a National Championship at the IRAs in the straight four and earned a bronze medal in varsity four at the IRAs. Savell graduated from Wisconsin with a degree in engineering and earned his master's degree in business administration from Lehigh in 2001. Savell resides in Haddon Township, N.J. with his wife, Janet, and their three sons, Jack, Joe and Brendan.